Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons boiling water
• 1  tablespoon instant espresso coffee powder
• 3/4  cup whipping cream
• 1  tablespoon light-color corn syrup
• 8  ounces special dark baking chocolate or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (about 1-1/3 cups)
• 1  16-ounce loaf prepared or frozen pound cake*, thawed
• 1/4  cup orange juice or 2 tablespoons orange juice with 2 tablespoons orange liqueur
• 1  cup whipping cream, whipped, or 2 cups frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed
• 1/2  cup pistachio nuts, chopped

Directions

1. In a very small bowl, combine boiling water and espresso powder. Set aside.

2. For chocolate sauce: In a small heavy saucepan, combine the 3/4 cup whipping cream and the corn syrup. Bring to boiling; remove from heat. Stir in espresso mixture. Add chocolate all at once. Let mixture stand, covered, for 4 minutes. Whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Cover to keep warm.

3. Cut pound cake into eight 3/4-inch-thick slices.* Poke each slice several times with the tines of a fork. Drizzle orange juice evenly over cake slices.

4. For a charcoal grill, place cake slices on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium-hot coals. Grill for 2 to 4 minutes or until toasted and heated through, turning once halfway through grilling. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium-high. Place cake slices on grill rack over heat. Grill, uncovered, as above.)

5. Serve grilled cake slices with whipped cream, pistachio nuts, and chocolate sauce. Makes 8 servings.

*Tip: If the prepared pound cake is larger than 16 ounces, save the leftover cake for another use.