Mocha Joe's Icebox Cake              
 

Ingredients:
2 cups cold heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 scant tablespoon finely ground coffee
1 tablespoon cold chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 9-ounce box “Famous” brand chocolate wafers (about 45 wafers)
Chopped walnuts or pecans, for garnish (optional)

1. About 10 minutes before you begin, chill the beaters of your electric mixer and the bowl you will beat your heavy cream in. Don’t skip this step because cold utensils make for a much quicker beating of the cream. While you’re at it, put your container of cream in the freezer for 10 minutes too – not to freeze it, but just give it a good chill.

2. Get out an 8 1/2- by 4 1/2 – inch loaf pan and line it with a large piece of plastic wrap, letting the wrap drape well over the sides of the pan. Tuck it into pan so it fits snugly, like a second skin. Refrigerate.

3. Combine the sugar and ground coffee in a blender or mini-chopper style coffee grinder. Pulse repeatedly, until the coffee is pulverized and very powdery. You should be able to detect only the tiniest bit of fine grit between your fingers. Set aside.

4. Pour the cream into your chilled bowl and beat on high speed until the cream holds soft peaks. Add the sugar-coffee mixture and continue to beat until the cream is firm but not grainy. Add the chocolate syrup and vanilla and beat on low speed until evenly blended.

5. Spoon about two-thirds of the whipped cream into the pan, smoothing to even the top. Using about 22 wafers on each side, make 2 evenly-space rows of wafers – standing them on edge in the cream – down the length of the pan. Make the rows simultaneously, staggering them from side to side. The wafers should take up the entire length of the pan.

6. When the wafers are all in place, spoon the remaining whipped cream over the top, smoothing it with the back of a spoon so it oozes down between the wafers. Fold the overlapping wrap over the top of the cake, then cover with a piece of foil. Refrigerate at least 6 hours, or overnight.

7. When you’re almost ready to serve, chill a serving plate and your dessert plates. Using the overlapping plastic wrap, lift the cake out of the pan and carefully invert it onto your platter. Peel off the wrap. To slice, cut the cake once crosswise, in the middle, then slice each half lengthwise into 3 or 4 pieces, laying the pieces flat on the serving plates. Serve, garnishing each slice with nuts if desired.

Makes 6 to 8 servings