Irish Cream Chocolate Mousse Cake Jb

-SYRUP-
2/3 c Sugar
5 tb Water
5 tb Irish whiskey

–CAKE–
6 lg Eggs
3/4 c Plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tb Instant espresso powder or
-coffee powder
1 pn Salt
1 c All purpose flour

CHOCOLATE BANDS
2 Waxed (14 1/2 x 3-inch)
-paper strips
4 oz Semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tb Plus 1 teaspoon solid
-vegetable shortening

CHOCOLATE CURLS
12 Squares (1-ounce) semisweet
-baking chocolate
Powdered sugar

Mousse: Whisk eggs and sugar in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of
simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water) and whisk
constantly until candy thermometer registers 160F., about 5 minutes. Remove
bowl from over water. Using electric mixer, beat egg mixture until cool and
very thick, about 10 minutes. Place chocolate in top of double boiler over
simmering water; stir until melted and smooth. Remove chocolate from over
water. Cool to luke warm. Combine cream and Irish cream liqueur in medium
bowl; beat to stiff peaks. Pour luke warm melted chocolate over egg mixture
and fold together. Fold in cream mixture. Cover and chill until set, at
least 4 hours or overnight.

Syrup: Combine sugar and water in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until
sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil. Remove from heat. Mix in
whiskey. Cool. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room
temperature.)

Cake: Preheat oven to 350?F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with
2-3/4-inch high sides. Line bottom with parchment paper. Using electric
mixer, beat eggs, sugar, espresso powder and salt in large bowl until
mixture thickens and slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are
lifted, about 8 minutes. Sift 1/3 of flour over and gently fold into egg
mixture. Repeat 2 more times (do not overmix or batter may deflate.) Pour
batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out
clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack. Run small
sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Turn out
cake. Remove pan bottom. Peel off parchment. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.
Wrap cake in plastic and chill.)

Assembly: Using serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into 3 layers. Place
bottom cake layer on platter. Brush with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread 2 cups
mousse over. Top with second cake layer. Brush with 3 tablespoons syrup.
Spread 2 cups mousse over. Top with third cake layer, cut side down. Brush
with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread remaining mousse over top and sides of
cake. Refrigerate cake while preparing chocolate bands.

Chocolate Bands: Line large baking sheet with foil and set aside. Place
another large sheet of foil on work surface; top with waxed paper strips,
spacing apart. Stir chopped semisweet chocolate and vegetable shortening in
heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Pour half of
melted chocolate down center of each waxed paper strip. Using metal icing
spatula, spread chocolate to cover strips evenly and completely, allowing
some chocolate to extend beyond edges of paper strips. Using fingertips,
lift strips and place on clean foil-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate just
until chocolate begins to set but is still very flexible, about 2 minutes.
Remove chocolate bands from refrigerator. Using fingertips, lift 1 band
from foil. With chocolate side next to cake, place band around side of
cake; press gently to adhere (band will be higher than cake). Repeat with
second chocolate band, pressing onto uncovered side of cake so that ends of
chocolate bands just meet (if ends overlap, use scissors to trim any excess
paper and chocolate). Refrigerate until chocolate sets, about 5 minutes.
Gently peel off paper. Refrigerate cake.