MAKE DEVIL'S FOOD SHEET CAKE: Bake sheet cake and freeze overnight, if possible. Coat the bottom of the frozen cake with melted chocolate according to the recipe. Cut 2 - 7 1/4" (18 cm) rounds from a half-sheet of Devil's Food Sheet Cake. To make a template for cutting the rounds, cut a 7 1/4" (18 cm) circle from an 8" (20cm) cake board. Use the rest of the cake for snacks.

MAKE CHOCOLATE PRALINE MOUSSE: WHIP egg yolks on high speed until thick and pale In Kitchen Aid mixer (using whisk). While yolks are beating, cook the sugar syrup.

COOK water and sugar in a small saucepan to 248° F (120° C). Slowly pour hot syrup into beating yolks in a thin steady stream, making sure to pour between the beaters and the bowl. This is called a pâte à bombe.

BLOOM gelatin sheets in cold water about 10 minutes until softened. Drain gelatin and combine with liqueur; melt in microwave 30 seconds at full power.

DRIZZLE hot gelatin / liqueur into beating yolks until well mixed.

ADD melted chocolate and praline paste and mix until smooth. Continue whipping until bowl feels cool.

MIX in mascarpone cheese by the spoonful. Whip until smooth and thickened.

TRANSFER to large wide mixing bowl. Fold in 1/3 of the chilled whipped cream, quickly but lightly; then fold in the balance, until no white streaks remain. Note: To fold, use a large rubber spatula and pull the spatula straight down the center of the mousse, scraping up the bottom of the bowl and turning the spatula to lay the mousse from the bottom of the bowl on top, turning the bowl as you go. Continue doing this just until the white streaks of whipped cream are mixed in. Use a very light hand and don't overmix.

ASSEMBLE CAKE: LINE an 8" (20 cm) x 2 1/2" (6 cm) cake pan with a large piece of plastic wrap (or use a springform pan, in which case you won't need to line it with plastic). Place an 8" (20 cm) cake board in the bottom of the pan and line the inside of the pan with a strip of acetate 2 1/2" (6 cm) wide.

PLACE one cake round in the bottom of the pan with the chocolate coated side down.

PIPE mousse in the space between the pan and the cake layer, forcing it into the corners, then pipe a 5/8" layer on top of the cake.

REPEAT this procedure for the second layer of cake, piping enough mousse to fill the pan to the top of the acetate. Level off with an offset spatula so that the top is completely smooth.

FREEZE the assembled cake in the pan without covering it. When it is frozen, it can be covered with plastic wrap until needed.

MAKE DARK & SHINY GLAZE according to recipe. The working temperature for this glaze is 95° F (35° C). If the glaze is freshly made, set it aside at room temperature until the right temperature is reached. If you have made it ahead of time and need to warm it up, place it in a bowl over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally (very gently so as not to create too many bubbles), until thermometer registers the right temperature. ALWAYS use at the right temperature and make sure the cake or dessert is frozen and on a cake board. A glaze that is too warm will melt the dessert and slide off; a glaze that is too cool will be too thick and will not result in the smooth shiny finish that you want.

GLAZE FROZEN CAKE: The set-up that I use for glazing cakes or desserts is as follows. Use two very clean half-sheet pans because the glaze is going to be dripping directly on the sheet pan. I purposely don't use parchment paper when glazing because it is much easier to scrape the left-over glaze into a bowl without it. Stack the two pans with a rack on top that fits inside the pan. Place the frozen cake (on a cake board) on the rack. Have the glaze at the right temperature in a bowl as wide as your cake. Starting at one side of the cake, slowly pour the glaze over the cake, making sure there are no unglazed areas; check all sides. If you do see a few bubbles, prick with a wooden skewer. Let the cake rest a few minutes until most of the dripping has stopped. Lift the top sheet pan with the rack and the cake and set next to the bottom sheet pan. Pick up the rack and set it in the clean sheet pan so the cake can finish dripping. Lift the cake with a large offset spatula onto the platter that you plan to use. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the extra glaze from both sheet pans into a large bowl; then transfer to a container and freeze for later.

REFRIGERATE the glazed cake so that it can thaw slowly. Allow several hours before serving.

CUT into 12 wedges, using a long thin knife. Dip the knife in hot water or hold it under running hot water, cleaning the knife after each cut.

SERVE well chilled.