Chocolate BlackBerry Cupcakes

Adapted from the book "500 cupcakes & muffins" by Fergal Connolly.

I made this last weekend in honor of Father's Day. Yummy cake, 'nuff said!

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:
100g blackberries, fresh or thawed frozen (see my notes below)
3 tbsp water
225g caster sugar
100g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
100g soft margarine (I used butter)
2 eggs
1 tbsp cocoa powder

For the ganache:
150g plain dark chocolate, broken
150g double cream
12 blackberries

Method:
This recipe will only yield 1 dozen small cupcakes.
1. Preheat the oven to 175C. Place 12 paper baking cases in a muffin tin.
2. Place the blackberries, water and 115g sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the fruit starts to release its juices. Set aside to cool. (MY NOTE: I really don't think this step is necessary, I don't really see the purpose of it and is actually wasteful because you don't use up all of the mixture. I think just use the blackberries in its normal form unless you're very afraid of sour fruits, Just push the fruit inside the batter once you've spooned them into the cases).
3. Combine the rest of the cupcake ingredients in a medium bowl and beat with an electric whisk until pale and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Spoon the batter into the cases. Spoon a little of the fruit on top (again I say a better method would be to just push the fruit into the batter. Bake until brown and cooked through. Remove the tin and cool for 5 minutes. Then remove the cupcakes and cool on rack.

To make the ganache: melt the chocolate and cream in a medium bowl over a pan of simmering water, until glossy and smooth. Dollop a spoonful of ganache onto each cooled cupcake, and top with a blackerry. (MY NOTE: I only used 100g of chocolate and 100 of whipping cream - couldn't find double cream - and it was more than enough, even had leftover).