Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Grease a half sheet pan with 1 tablespoon of butter. Sift the flour, cocoa, and salt into a large mixing bowl.

In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the butter, shortening, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil.

Stir the liquid mixture into the sifted mixture. Mix well. Add the eggs, soda, buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix well. Spread evenly into the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven. Pour the Fudge Icing over the warm cake. Sprinkle the pecans over the frosting. Allow the cake to sit until the frosting is set, about 15 minutes.

To serve, place a slice of the cake in the center of each serving plate. Place a scoop of Chicory Coffee Ice Cream in the center of each slice of cake.

In another saucepan, over medium heat, combine the butter and milk. Bring to a boil. Sift the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder into a large bowl. Add the butter mixture and whisk well. Add the vanilla.

In a large non reactive saucepan over medium heat, combine the instant coffee, milk, heavy cream, sugar, and pepper. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Heat the mixture to the scalding point. Remove from the heat.

Beat the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl. Add the cream mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time, to the beaten egg, whisking well between each addition, until it is all used. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook, stirring, over medium heat until the mixture becomes thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon.

Remove from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass bowl. Cover the top of the mixture with plastic wrap (this will keep a skin from forming) and let cool completely. Place the mixture in the refrigerator and chill completely. Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer's directions for the churning time.

Yield: 1/2 gallon

Recipe adapted from Emeril's TV Dinners, by Emeril Lagasse, published by William Morrow, 1998.