A ganache is a combination of cream and what?

A ganache is a combination of cream and chocolate.

This classic confection is made by pouring hot cream over chopped chocolate and stirring until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy. The result is an emulsion: cocoa butter from the chocolate combines with the water-based cream. Depending on the proportions and temperature, ganache can be used as a pourable sauce, cake glaze, frosting, tart filling, or truffle mixture.

The ratio matters. Equal weights of dark chocolate and cream create a relatively firm ganache suitable for icing or filling, while extra cream produces a thinner consistency. Using more chocolate makes a denser mixture that works well for truffles. Milk and white chocolate generally require different proportions because they contain more sugar and milk solids.

Ganache is traditionally associated with French pastry, and a popular origin story places it in a Paris confectionery in the 1850s. The story says an apprentice accidentally spilled cream into chocolate; the master supposedly called him a ganache, meaning a fool or idiot, and the name stuck. Modern versions may include butter, fruit purée, liqueur, spices, or tea, but chocolate and a liquid remain its defining foundation.