If there's someone who knows how to create a delectable dessert, it's Maida Heatter. Known as the "Queen of Cake", Heatter's award-laden chocolate dessert secrets don't stop at cake. The frosting in the spotlight today is culled from Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts. This is nothing less than a choco-royal treat, with its roots in the culinary throne of Maida Heatter.

The journey to this delicious frosting starts with simmering the heavy cream until it reduces slightly. This approach deepens the cream's textures, making it even more luscious than it was. Next comes the melting of chocolate and butter, but not just any melting. The process involves hot cream, an approach somewhat identical to creating ganache, a technique no stranger to any chocolatier worth their couverture.

But this miraculous transformation doesn't happen without some insistence! The cream needs to be hot while being added to the chocolate. This is because adding cold liquids to the chocolate will compromise its emulsion and cause it to seize up, leaving you with a curdled texture than the glossy, satiny finish that is expected.

Discover the magic by using this frosting fresh from the beaters, when it's still warm, pliant, and good to spread. If you must wait a moment before applying it, ensure it's covered and maintained at room temperature. One last hint: A thorough stirring before applying will do wonders.

This sublime frosting can luxuriously crown a Classic Chocolate Cake, swaddle an entire sheet cake or jazz up your homely cupcakes like never before. And if the urge strikes, feel free to dip your pretzels into this royal, chocolatey hub of indulgence! Here are the key players -heavy cream, sugar, unsweetened chocolate, unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and a pinch of kosher salt.

To start, bring the cream and sugar to a boil at moderate to high heat in a medium saucepan. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, for about six minutes or until the liquid reduces a bit. Afterward, this mixture should be head to head with chocolate, butter, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl, left with occasional stir until butter and chocolate give in to the heat.

Once done, place this bowl into a larger one filled with ice water. Get hold of a hand-held electric mixer, and start beating your future frosting on medium speed. Don't forget to scrape the sides with a rubber spatula until the frosting thickens, gains a glossy finish, and a lighter color. This should take around 10 minutes. And voila! Your decadent chocolate frosting is ready to use!