Method

• 1.
  Preheat the oven to 150°C. Place cupcake papers in 2 x 12-hole cupcake pans. Place 500g chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (don’t let bowl touch the water), stirring until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
• 2.
  Place 500g cream cheese in a separate bowl and beat with a spatula until smooth.
• 3.
  Add melted chocolate to cream cheese and beat to combine. Add egg yolks and 1 cup (250g) sugar, and beat to combine. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk eggwhites until stiff peaks form.
• 4.
  Fold one-third eggwhite into cream cheese mixture to loosen, then gently fold in remaining eggwhite.
• 5.
  Divide mixture among cupcake pans and bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
• 6.
  To make the icing, place remaining 200g chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water), stirring until melted and smooth.
• 7.
  Set aside to cool to room temperature. In a separate bowl, beat remaining 500g cream cheese until smooth, then beat into cooled chocolate until smooth and combined.
• 8.
  Beat in remaining 1/3 cup (80g) sugar, 1 tbs water and a pinch of salt until smooth and combined. (The icing should be very thick. Chill, if necessary, to thicken.)
• 9.
  Spoon the icing into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle, then pipe icing in thick swirls over cupcakes to serve.