Espresso and Mascarpone Icebox Cake

By nancytripp

Ingredients

• 3 cups chilled heavy cream
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup mascarpone cheese (about 9 oz) at room temperature
• 1 (9-oz) box chocolate wafers such as Nabisco Famous
• 1 tablespoon instant-espresso powder*
• Special equipment: a 9 1/2- to 10-inch springform pan (about 26 cm)

Details

Servings 12
Adapted from epicurious.com

Preparation

Step 1

Beat 2 cups cream with 6 tablespoons sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until it just holds soft peaks, 2 to 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low, then add mascarpone and mix until combined.

Spread 1 1/4 cups mascarpone mixture evenly in bottom of springform pan and cover with 14 wafers, slightly overlapping if necessary. Spread with another 1 1/4 cups mascarpone mixture, followed by 14 more wafers arranged in the same manner. Spread remaining mascarpone mixture on top. Smooth top with a metal offset spatula, then cover pan with foil and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Transfer from freezer to refrigerator and chill, covered, until a sharp knife inserted into center cuts through softened wafers easily, about 8 hours.

Pulse remaining chocolate wafers in a food processor until finely ground.

Beat remaining cup cream with espresso powder and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar using electric mixer at medium speed until it just holds stiff peaks, about 3 minutes.

Remove foil and side of pan and frost cake all over with espresso cream. Sprinkle edge of top lightly with wafer crumbs. Serve cold.

*Available at most supermarkets and The Baker's Catalogue (800-827-6836).

Cooks' notes:
Cake, without espresso cream, can be chilled up to 2 days. Cake can be frosted with espresso cream 4 hours ahead and chilled, loosely covered with foil.