Ingredients

Makes one 10 x 5-inch cake; serves 10

　　1 1/2 cups finely ground chocolate wafer cookies (8 ounces; about 35 cookies)

　　4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

　　1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

　　4 large egg yolks, room temperature

　　4 1/2 teaspoons good-quality instant espresso powder (such as Medaglia d’Oro)

　　Pinch of salt

　　1 1/2 pounds mascarpone cheese, room temperature

　　1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

　　12 ounces hard torrone (Italian nougat), cut into 1/4-inch pieces

　　1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled

　　

Step 1

Stir together the cookie crumbs, melted butter, and 3 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl; set aside.

　　

Step 2

Put the egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, the espresso, and salt in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water; whisk until thick, about 2 minutes. Transfer the bowl to an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and vanilla by hand until smooth. Stir in the torrone; set aside.

　　

Step 3

Beat the cream with the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in a clean mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream with a rubber spatula into mascarpone mixture. Refrigerate.

　　

Step 4

Line a 10 × 5 × 3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap and parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. Pour one-third of the mascarpone mixture into the lined pan; even the layer with an offset spatula. Evenly top with half of the crumb mixture; press the crumbs gently. Repeat to make a second layer of mascarpone mixture and crumbs. Top with the remaining mascarpone mixture. Loosely fold over the parchment and plastic wrap. Freeze at least 3 hours, or overnight.

　　

Step 5

To serve, let the cake stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Set the loaf pan in a larger pan; pour cold water into the pan to reach three-quarters up the sides of the loaf pan. Let stand 10 seconds. Holding the parchment, lift out the cake. Invert onto a plate; peel off the plastic and parchment. Let stand 10 minutes more before serving.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.