Chocolate Ganache Proportions: These proportions are based on weight. For example, a 1:1 ratio means 4 ounces chocolate to 4 ounces cream.

Weigh the chocolate: Weigh out the amount of chocolate called for in your recipe. If you aren't following a recipe, start with a small amount and make more as needed.

Heat the cream: Pour the cream into a small saucepan and place it over medium-low heat for a few minutes. Keep an eye on the cream — it's not necessary to boil it. It just needs to get hot. The cream is ready when you can place a finger in the cream and keep it there for 3 to 4 seconds. Turn off the flame and remove the cream from the stove.

Chop the chocolate: While the cream is heating, chop the chocolate into fine pieces.

Pour the cream over the chocolate. Stir gently to distribute the chocolate through the cream and then let it sit for a few minutes to give the chocolate time to soften and melt.

Stir the mixture: With a spatula or wooden spoon, stir the ganache. At first it might look spotty and broken but keep stirring until it comes together in a creamy mass.

Ganache for filling and glaze, Cool the ganache as specified in your recipe, or as described here:

If you plan on pouring the ganache over a cake, pie, or pastry, it will need to be loose enough to flow but thickened enough to stay on the pastry.

To whip the ganache for frosting or for layer cake filling, cool the ganache until it is thick, but still soft, and then beat in a stand mixer or with a hand held mixer, until the ganache is fluffy and has lightened in color, about 1 or 2 minutes.

To use the ganache make truffles, you may need to set the pan in the refrigerator so the ganache cools. Remove the pan every 5 minutes or so and stir so that the ganache cools evenly. As the chocolate begins to stiffen, stir it more frequently — it will go from soft to very hard quite suddenly. (If this happens, soften the ganache over gently simmering water, stirring until you've reached the right consistency again.)

The easiest way to work with ratios is to measure both the cream and the chocolate by weight. If you don't want to weigh your cream, remember that 1 cup of liquid is 8 ounces.