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Espresso cake:
1/4 cup ground espresso
1/2 cup water
1 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons
granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream

Bailey's frozen chocolate chunk mousse:
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate,
coarsely chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur
6 ounces mascarpone, softened
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup hazelnuts, lightly toasted and
coarsely chopped
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into
1/2-inch chunks

Garnish:
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur
1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Warm chocolate sauce (optional)

Make the espresso cake:
1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to350
degrees F. Lightly butter an 8-inch square cake pan. Dust the
pan with flour
and tap out the excess.
2. 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.
3. In a large bowl, using a wire whisk, stir together the flour, baking soda
and salt. Sift the mixture onto a large piece of waxed paper.
4. 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 side of the bowl as necessary.
5. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until well combined. Add vanilla
and sour cream.
6. 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.
7. Remove the pan from the oven. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for
10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack and reinvert onto
another wire rack. Cool completely.

Make the Bailey's frozen chocolate chunk mousse:
8. Put the chocolate in a food processor fitted with the metal chopping
blade. Process for 20 to 30 seconds, until finely ground.
9. In a small saucepan, combine the milk, sugar and salt. Cook over
medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugar dis-
solves 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.
10. 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 chocolate
mixture into a large bowl and cool about 5 minutes, until tepid.
11. In the 4 1/2-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 for 2 to
3 minutes, until soft peaks are formed when the whip is lifted.
12. 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.