Bailey's frozen chocolate chunk mousse cake

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
  
       Title: Bailey's Frozen Chocolate Chunk Mousse Cake
  Categories: Cakes, Desserts
       Yield: 8 Servings
  
 -------------------------------ESPRESSO CAKE-------------------------------
     1/4 c  Ground espresso                   1/2 c  Plus 2 tablespoons
     1/2 c  Water                                    -granulated sugar
       1 c  Cake flour (not self-rising)        2 lg Eggs
     1/2 ts Baking soda                       1/2 ts Vanilla extract
     1/4 ts Salt                              1/4 c  Sour cream
       4 tb Unsalted butter               
 
 ---------------------------CHOCOLATE CHUNK MOUSSE---------------------------
       5 oz Bittersweet chocolate,                   -Liqueur, divided
            -coarsely chopped                   6 oz Mascarpone, softened
     1/4 c  Plus 2 tablespoons milk             1 c  Heavy cream
     1/4 c  Granulated sugar                  1/4 c  Hazelnuts, lightly toasted
     1/8 t  Salt                                     -and coarsely chopped
       2 ts Vanilla extract                     4 oz Bittersweet chocolate, cut
     1/2 c  Bailey's Irish Cream                     -into 1/2-inch chunks
 
 ----------------------------------GARNISH----------------------------------
     3/4 c  Heavy cream                         2 oz Bittersweet chocolate,
       2 tb Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur             -coarsely chopped
       1 tb Confectioners' sugar                     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.
  
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