Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon powdered instant espresso or coffee
• 1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Steps

1. Heat the cream in a small saucepan to just short of boiling. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla or espresso powder, then immediately add the chocolate chips. Tilt the pan back and forth so the hot cream flows over the chips. Set aside for 5 minutes and stir briefly to begin smoothing the mixture.
2. Rest for another 2 to 3 minutes, then whisk briefly until smooth. The glaze is initially a little runny for drizzling over pound cakes and Bundt-type cakes. For slightly thicker coverage on cheesecake or sheet cake, cool it a little before spreading. If it has cooled and thickened and needs thinning, rewarm very gently in a saucepan. Alternatively, reheat carefully in a microwavable container to avoid burning the chocolate, for no more than 15 seconds at a time, stirring after every round.