Chocolate Ganache

There is something sexually satisfying about combining heavy cream, semi-sweet chocolate chips and a touch of instant coffee over a double-boiler around 5am. As the ingredients absorb the heat from the boiling water through the metal bowl resting over the metal saucepan, they slowly give up themselves to melt into one another. The gentle force my mini opaque white spatula creates by stirring them together causes a seductive affair where it gives strength to the chocolate to fight being surrounded by the heavy cream. The molten chocolate fortified with the bitter coffee granules overtakes and creates something far more incredible with the warmth of the heavy cream. Chocolate ganache. Creamy rich chocolate lava. Oh, baby!

(Fanning myself!)

Why would I be making such a concoction that early? Well, it was not to spread on someone. Ouch! and an overabundance of chocolate on your partner is not sexy. Maybe licking a bit of their fingers or lips, but not all over. That's my feeling anyway. Do what makes YOU happy though. Anyhoo...The ganache was spooned over the chocolate cupcakes I made last night. Half the batch was given to Rob at lunch and the other half was for a select few at work. These little pleasure pills were not for the feint of heart. Ha!

The week ended with an insistence of busy. Through our help desk system, I now had four queues to work through each day. The main thing was making sure the types of items being requested was correct for the request or more importantly in the budget or in budget review in Finance. My company is a different place; every little thing is carefully scrutinized. An edict from our UK mothership I suppose. No matter. It keeps me busier and more connected with people which I didn't realize I missed until I was knee-deep in research.

My boss has been acting strangely ever since we were informed of our rolling up into the North American division. He's also felt my absence in the day-to-day interaction. I am busier now, I reminded him. I gave him a cupcake which he devoured quickly and called me evil. Heck, I was called evil all day for the cupcakes.

Bridget and I met Rob at the sushi joint. He was running late and I ordered for him. While we waited, Bridget was able to try edamame (steamed soy bean pods seasoned with salt) for the first time in her life and love them. I requested a particular waitress who treated us with extra care. She remembered me from a previous visit. Rob gave her a cupcake and she only accepted after she confirmed I made them. She had seen them on the table wrapped in French-wire ribbon next to Rob's place setting. With Rob being very athletic, he was hungrier than usual since he didn't eat a good breakfast. The insufficient caloric intake caused him to shake a little. He solved the issue by wolfing down his sashimi plate, half of my meal and two cupcakes. The sick part is that he'll burn it all off by the next day... Our meal was fantastic, the company incorrigible and Rob surprised us girls by picking up our bills.

Others left early as it was Friday, but I used to my advantage to work quietly and get ahead of Monday. My drive home was spent leaving voicemail catch-ups to my friends and thinking about vanilla. I have had a raging need to bake. It is probably a metaphor for something else. Sigh.


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Chocolate Ganache