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