CHOCOLATE VELVET CAKE

1 lb Sara Lee pound cake
2 tb Amaretto

MOUSSE
1/3 cup Amaretto
1/4 cup dark rum
4 Heath bars -- coarsely chopped
6 tbsp Melted butter
3 Eggs -- separated
1 1/2 tsp Instant coffee powder
1 1/2 lb semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 c Whipping cream
1 tb Powdered sugar

ICING
1/2 lb Semisweet chocolate
1/2 tb Powdered sugar
1/3 c Coffee -- or as needed

GARNISHES
Chocolate leaves Creme fraiche or Whipped cream

pastry chef Albert Kumin"s famous recipe: "It's based on the bombe concept - lining a container with cake, filling it with creamy filling (in this case mousse) and finishing the turned-out dessert with a glossy chocolate glaze."

Line a 2 1/2 qt. souffle dish with plastic wrap.
Cut the pound cake into thin slices.

Line the bottom and sides of the souffle dish with overlapping pieces of pound cake, so there are no openings.

Put 2 layers of pound cake on the bottom, to prevent leaks.

Sprinkle 2 tb. of the amaretto around the pound cake. Set aside.

To prepare mousse:
In a bowl, combine amaretto, rum, chopped candy bars, melted butter, egg yolks and coffee. Stir well.

In a double boiler, melt 1 1/2 lbs. of chocolate. Remove from heat and allow it to cool a little.

Whip the cream until stiff; set aside.

With clean beaters, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff.

Slowly add 1 tb. powdered sugar and beat 1 minute.

Slowly add the chocolate to the liquor mixture, stirring well to combine evenly.

Fold in the whipped cream and egg whites.

Pour into prepared souffle dish.

Use the rest of the pound cake to cover the top of the mousse, overlapping pieces.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 10 hours.

To make the icing:
Melt 1/2 lb. of chocolate.

Use an electric mixer to beat in the powdered sugar.
Add the coffee as needed to make a smooth icing. (smooth and thick enough to spread.) Let the icing cool a bit before spreading on the cake.

To ice the cake:
Invert the chocolate velvet on a serving plate. Remove plastic wrap. Spread with icing. Refrigerate.

To serve, cut like cake. Serve with creme fraiche or whipped cream, if desired.

Keeps well up to 10 days refrigerated and freezes for up to six months.

From Food Editor Sarah Fritschner's 11/22/90 "A Chocolate Fantasy" article in "The (Louisville, KY) Courier-Journal 'Magazine'".

WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

3 cups oreo base cake crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, separated
2 eggs
5 Tbsp. amaretto, divided
10 oz white chocolate, melted
3 gelatin sheets
3 cups cold water
1 quart heavy cream, lightly whipped
15 oz bulk oreo cookie pieces, large crunch
1 Tbsp. sugar

To prepare crust, combine oreo base cake crumbs and butter and line 9-inch buttered springform pan. Lightly beat egg whites; brush crust and bake in 350 F. oven for 5 minutes. Cool; cover and refrigerate.

To prepare mousse, combine reserved yolks, whole eggs and 4 Tbsp. amaretto in large bowl and heat over hot water bath stirring until just warm and slightly thickened; reserve.

Bloom and dissolve gelatin in 3 cups cold water; drain and blend into reserved eggs.

Fold white chocolate into warm egg mixture and cool slightly. Gently fold in whipped cream, in three parts, folled by oreo pieces, mixing only until incorporated. Fill crust with mousse; wrap pan tightly and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

To make amaretto whipped cream, whip heavy cream until soft peaks have formed; add sugar and remaining amaretto; whip until stiff.

Serve 1/12 of pie with 1 Tbsp. of whipped cream mixture.