ESPRESSO CAKE
1/4 c Ground espresso
1/2 c Water
1 c Cake flour (not self-rising)
1/2 ts Baking soda
1/4 ts Salt
4 tb Unsalted butter
1/2 c Plus 2 tablespoons
-granulated sugar
2 lg Eggs
1/2 ts Vanilla extract
1/4 c Sour cream
-CHOCOLATE CHUNK MOUSSE-
5 oz Bittersweet chocolate,
-coarsely chopped
1/4 c Plus 2 tablespoons milk
1/4 c Granulated sugar
1/8 ts Salt
2 ts Vanilla extract
1/2 c Bailey’s Irish Cream
-Liqueur, divided
6 oz Mascarpone, softened
1 c Heavy cream
1/4 c Hazelnuts, lightly toasted
-and coarsely chopped
4 oz Bittersweet chocolate, cut
-into 1/2-inch chunks
GARNISH
3/4 c Heavy cream
2 tb Bailey’s Irish Cream Liqueur
1 tb Confectioners’ sugar
2 oz Bittersweet chocolate,
-coarsely chopped
Warm chocolate sauce
ESPRESSO CAKE: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat
to 350 F. Lightly butter an 8-inch square cake pan. Dust the pan with flour
and tap out the excess. Place the ground espresso into a cup or small bowl.
Heat the water to boiling and pour it over the espresso powder. Allow the
grounds to steep for 5 minutes. Strain the coffee through a double layer of
cheesecloth. Measure 1/4 cup of the coffee and set aside. In a large howl,
using a wire whisk, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Sift the
mixture onto a large piece of waxed paper. In the 4 1/2-quart bowl of a
heavy-duty electric mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter on
medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes until creamy. Gradually add the sugar,
blending well between additions, and scraping down the sides of the bowl
when necessary. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until combined. Add
vanilla and sour cream. On low speed, add half of the flour mixture and
beat until combined. Add the 1/4 cup of espresso, and mix well. Add the
remaining flour mixture. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake
for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cake begins to pull away from the sides
of the pan and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out
clean. Remove pan from oven and set on a wire rack to cool completely.
CHOCOLATE CHUNK MOUSSE: Put the chocolate in a food processor fitted with
the metal chopping blade. Process for 20 to 30 seconds, until finely
ground. In a small saucepan, combine the milk, sugar and salt. Cook over
medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugar dissolves and
the milk comes to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the vanilla
extract and 1/4 cup of the Bailey’s. With the motor of the food processor
running, pour the hot milk through the feed tube. Process for 10 to 20
seconds, until the chocolate is completely melted. Using a spatula, scrape
the chocolate mixture into a large bowl and cool for about 5 minutes, until
tepid. In the 4 l/2-quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer using the
paddle attachment, beat the mascarpone at medium-low speed just until
softened. Gradually add the rest of the Bailey’s, scraping down the side of
the bowl as necessary. Switch to the wire whip attachment, and beating on
medium speed, add the heavy cream. Increase the speed to medium-high and
continue beating 2-3 minutes, until soft peaks are formed when the whip is
lifted. Using a large rubber spatula, fold one-third of the whipped cream
mixture into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold the remaining
whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Fold the toasted nuts and
chocolate chunks into the mousse.
ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Line an 8-inch square pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch
overhang on two opposite sides of the pan. Using a long serrated knife,
slice the cake horizontally into two layers of equal thickness. Place the
top layer, cut side up, in the bottom of the pan. Scrape the mousse onto
the cake layer in the pan. Smooth the top with a small metal cake spatula.
Place the second layer, cut side down, on top of the mousse. In the 4
1/2-quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer using the wire whip
attachment, combine the heavy cream, Bailey’s, and confectioners’ sugar and
beat on medium-high speed until medium-stiff peaks are formed when the whip
is lifted. With a small metal spatula, spread the top of the cake with the
whipped cream. Sprinkle the chocolate chunks over the whipped cream. Freeze
the cake for 6 hours or overnight. Remove the cake from the freezer. Lift
it out of the pan, using the overhanging pieces of foil as handles, and set
it on a cutting board to temper for 30 minutes. With a sharp knife, trim
the four sides of the cake, then cut into eight 4-inch-by2-inch bars. Serve
on dessert plates with warm chocolate sauce.
Yields
8 Servings