What is a ganache and how do I make one?

A ganache is basically a mixture of chocolate with some form of liquid. That liquid can be water, butter, cream or some combination. If you look at the recipes on this website for truffles /recipes.html - they are ganaches. Essentially there are two recommended ways to make the emulsion. My favourite is to melt the chocolate and add the cream that has been heated until it steams. Then stir until it forms a nice shiny mixture. Others suggest that you chop the chocolate finely, pour the hot cream over it and stir until the chocolate melts and emulsifies.