Chocolate Coconut Filled Almond Cupcakes
Start to finish: 3 hours (45 minutes active)

For the Ganache:
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
24 ounces milk chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet, I think milk chocolate would be better, good milk chocolate)

For the cupcakes:
(I used a cake mix for the cupcakes, so I don't know if this is a good recipe for the cake part)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup boiling water
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons water
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups cake flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature

For the filling:
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
7-ounce package sweetened coconut

Whole almonds, to decorate

To make the Ganache, in a small saucepan over medium, heat the cream to a rolling boil. Be careful not to let it overflow.
Place the chocolate chips in a medium heat safe bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chips. Tap the bowl on the table to settle the chips into the cream. Let sit for 2 minutes.

Gently stir the mixture until it is homogenous and the chips are melted. Refrigerate for several hours, stirring occasion-ally, until quite thick.

Meanwhile, prepare the cupcakes.

Heat the oven to 350 F. Line 18 muffin tins with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, mix the cocoa powder and boiling water. Set aside to cool.
In a small bowl, mix together the eggs, 3 tablespoons of water and vanilla.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. When the cocoa mix-ture has cooled, add it and the softened butter to the bowl, then beat on low with the paddle
attachment until combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 1-1/2 minutes. Add the egg mixture in 2 additions, mixing and scraping down the sides of the bowl in between.
Divide the batter between the prepared muffin tins and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

While the cupcakes bake, prepare the filling.

In a skillet over low, combine the sweetened condensed milk and the coconut. Cook, stirring continuously, for about 10 minutes or until the milk starts to hold its own path when a spoon is dragged across the bottom of the pan. Set aside to cool.

To assemble the cupcakes, pipe a "barrier" of Ganache around the top edge of each cupcake. Fill the top of each cupcake, within the barrier, with a spoonful of the coconut filling. Using a spatula or a piping bag, pipe on more Ganache to the top of each cupcake. Decorate each with a few whole almonds.

Makes 18 cupcakes.