Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Set rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Set out ingredients and equipment. Sift flour. Measure cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into separate mixing bowl. Add flour and whisk together. Measure half-and-half and vanilla extract into a separate bowl and set aside. Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Crack eggs into a separate bowl and set aside.
3. With the standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on the lowest speed for 3-5 minutes. (This will feel odd, but keep it on low.)
4. With the mixer still on the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Add the dry ingredient mixture alternately with the liquid mixture in 3 to 5 additions each, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Move swiftly through this step to avoid overworking the batter. Don’t wait for the dry or liquid mixtures to be fully incorporated before adding the next. This should take a total of about 60 seconds.
6. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl all the way down. Don’t miss the clumps of ingredients hiding on the bottom. Mix on medium speed for 15 to 20 seconds to develop the batter’s structure.
7. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Fill cupcake liners with batter using a 2-ounce trigger release ice-cream scoop.
9. Bake for 22 minutes. When the skewer shows a touch of crumbs or comes out clean, the cupcakes is done.
10. Cool cupcakes for 5 minutes before removing from the pan. Allow to cool completely before assembling.

For the ganache:
1. While cupcakes cool, prepare ganche.
2. In a 2-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the cream to a light simmer over medium heat.
3. Meanwhile, measure the chocolate and place it in a heat resistant bowl.
4. Once the cream reaches a light simmer, pour it over the chocolate. Wait about 10 seconds for the cream to work its way into all of the crevices of chocolate, then whisk to combine.
5. Let the ganche cool for at least 20 minutes before using. It will begin to thicken.

For the buttercream:
1. While ganache is cooling, make buttercream.
2. Set out ingredients and equipment. Separate the egg whites into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Measure 1 cup sugar and the water into a 1-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Gently stir to combine. Measure the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar into a separate bowl. Cut the butter into tablespoon sized pieces and set aside.
3. To make the sugar syrup, place the candy thermometer in the sauce pan and heat the mixture over medium-high heat. Partially cover with a lid to capture the evaporating water—this helps to moisten the sides of the saucepan to prevent sugar crystals from forming.
4. With the mixer on high speed, begin whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks. When the peaks are stiff, you have a meringue.
5. Keep the mixture running and pour the 1/4 cup of sugar into the meringue.
6. Raise the heat under the sugar syrup to bring the syrup to 245°F if it’s not there already. When it has reached 245°F, remove the thermometer and slowly pour the syrup into the meringue, with the mixer running. (It helps to hold the pan just above the height of the mixer. Pour confidently, trying to hit the meringue and not the side of the bowl.)
7. After 1 to 2 minutes, reduce the speed of the mixture to medium for 3-4 minutes or until meringue is cooled. Add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Increase the mixer speed to high for 1 to 2 minutes or until the butter is fully incorporated.

To assemble:
1. Cut a cone out of each cupcake as you would cut the stem out of a strawberry. Reserve the cake.
2. Fill cupcakes with about 1 tablespoon of ganache. Place in the freezer for 5 minutes to allow ganache to harden a bit.
3. Place the leftover cake back in each cupcake.
4. Use a 2-ounce trigger release ice-cream scoop to ice each cupcake. Fill the scoop completely and release.
5. To garnish, sprinkle with shaved dark chocolate.
6. Refrigerate cupcakes. Serve at room temperature. Eat and be merry!