Diplomatico - a chocolate dessert with rum and coffee

Rum and coffee soak:

• 5 Tbl rum
  
• 1¼ cups strong espresso coffee
• 5 tsp. granulated sugar
• 5 Tbl water

Slice a 16-ounce pound cake into ¼-inch slices and dip half of the slices in the rum and coffee soak, placing them in a cheesecloth-lined 9-inch rectangular pan. Leave sufficient cheesecloth hanging over the edge of the pan to cover the finished dessert.

Chocolate mousse filling:

• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate drops (chips)

Separate eggs, beat yolks with 1 tsp. sugar until pale yellow. Heat the chocolate in a double boiler just until liquid. Pour chocolate slowly into the yolks, stirring constantly. Set aside.

Beat the egg whites until the form stiff peaks. Mix one tsp. of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and then fold in the remainder, mixing gently so as not the collapse the whites.

Spread the filling over the first layer of soaked pound cake.

Add the second layer of pound cake over the mousse filling, wrap with the cheese cloth.

Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

To serve, open cheese cloth, turn dessert onto a serving platter, remove cheese cloth, and cut into 2-inch squares.

Top squares with whipped cream:

Topping:

• 1 cup very cold whipping cream and 1 tsp. sugar whipped until stiff in a chilled metal bowl.