Chocolate Irish Cream Cake

"Eggs at room temperature"

I haven't made this recipe for ten years or more, until this weekend.  Now, I wonder why I waited so long!  The process of this recipe is enjoyable and the final product exquisite for a dinner party or celebration.

12 oz chocolate chips
1/2 c unsalted butter
6 eggs at room temperature, separated
1 c sugar
1/2 c walnuts or pecans very finely chopped
4 tbsp Bailey's Irish Cream
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of cream of tarter
2 c whipping cream
1/4 c powdered sugar
4 tbsp Baileys Irish Cream
2 oz chocolate curls

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease and flour a 9 or 10 inch springform pan.  Melt chocolate chips and butter in double boiler or microwave.  Beat egg yolks until thick about 5 minutes.  Add 1/2 c sugar 1 tbsp at a time into the eggs.  Add melted chocolate, nuts, Irish Cream and vanilla.
Beat egg whites with cream of tarter.  Gradually add remaining 1/2 c sugar once stiff peaks form.  Gently fold a quarter of egg whites into chocolate and then fold chocolate mixture into remaining whites.  Pour into prepared spring form pan.
Bake 30 minutes, reduce oven to 275F and bake 30 minutes more.  Turn off oven and let cake stand 30 minutes with oven door ajar.  Remove cake from oven.  Dampen  a light dishtowel and place on top of cake for 5 minutes (cake will crack and fall.)  Cool cake in pan.
Remove springform and transfer to a cake plate.  Beat whipping cream then add powdered sugar and irish Cream.  Spoon whipped cream onto top of cake evenly.  To make chocolate curls, it helps to have chocolate warm - I heated in microwave to just before melting, and skim with vegetable peeler.