Chocolate Ganache for covering cakes

6 liquid ounces heavy cream
8 solid ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate (Callebaut preferred)
2 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut in 1/2 pieces and chilled
2 Tablespoons  Vanilla extract or liqueur of choice 


Place chocolate in a medium sized heatproof bowl. Heat cream in heavy bottomed saucepan until
boiling point is approaching. Take off heat and pour immediately over chopped chocolate. Stir with
a stainless steel whisk until smooth. Add butter and stir until smooth. Add vanilla or liqueur. Stir immediately.
Cool until slightly thickened but still pourable.
To use:
Place bottom cake layer  on a cardboard cake round of appropriate size (9inch for a 9inch layer- make sure
you remove any parchment you have used to line the pans.
Fill the layers of cake with frosting, fruit, mousse or whatever you are using. Place the top layer on.
Crumb coat (brush any loose crumbs off of the cake surface and then cover with a very thin coat of frosting 
and let set up slightly. I do sometimes put ganache over more heavily frosted cakes though.
Place on a metal cooling rack over a clean sheet pan.

Pour ganache over cake. Try to pour in one steady pour making sure the ganache is falling evenly and 
covering the sides. You can smooth the top with an offset spatula to help this process but once it
starts to set up don't touch it or you will lose the gloss. Once the ganache has set up you can loosen
the cakes with an offset spatula and clean up the cardboard bottom by running the spatula around the
perimeter.
Once the ganache is set you can decorate using the same ganache cooled to a firmer consistency and 
put in a parchment cornet or pastry decorating bag, in a pinch you can use a plastic sandwich bag with a
corner cut off, but I find a parchment bag easier to control.