Please read the notes before proceeding with this recipe.

Fill a small saucepan with an inch or 2 of boiling water. Place a slightly larger heat-proof bowl over the pan so that it sits snugly on the rim. If the water is touching the bottom of the bowl, pour a little bit out until it isn't.

Place the saucepan onto the stove over a medium-low heat.

Add the finely chopped chocolate and the cream to the bowl. Allow it to melt, gently stirring it every so often.

Once there are no lumps of chocolate left, remove the pan from the heat and carefully take the bowl out of the saucepan. (I recommend using heat-proof gloves for this part.) It will look quite yellow at this point but that is normal.

Let the bowl of ganache sit at room temperature for 10 minutes then transfer it to the fridge for 2 hours. Do not mix or touch it during this time.

After 2 hours, remove the bowl from the fridge. Using an electric whisk, beat the ganache for a few minutes until it becomes pale and fluffy and increases in volume. You should be able to tip the bowl upside down without the ganache moving. If it doesn't whip firm enough, place it back in the fridge for 30 more minutes then try whipping again, repeating as necessary.

Once whipped and firm, use immediately for piping onto cupcakes or filling layer cakes.