Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
     2/3           cup  whipping cream
     1/4           cup  chocolate syrup -- (as hershey's)
  1         tablespoon  vanilla extract
     1/2      teaspoon  instant expresso powder dissolved in
  1         tablespoon  water
  1 1/2           cups  unbleached all-prpose flour
     1/2           cup  plus 6 teaspoons sugar
     1/2           cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
                        (preferably dutch-process)
  1         tablespoon  baking powwder
     1/2      teaspoon  salt
     1/4           cup  chilled unsalted butter -- cut into 1/2 inch
                        -- pieces
  2        tablespoons  unsalted butter -- melted
  3        tablespoons  banana liqueur or brandy
                        fudge sauce 
                        vanilla ice cream
                        strawberries in liqueur
                        ***FUDGE SAUCE***
     2/3           cup  whipping cream
  2        tablespoons  light corn syrup
  12            ounces  bittersweet -- (not unsweetened)
                        -- or semisweet
                        -- chocolate chopped
                        ***STRAWBERRIES IN LIQUEUR***
  2           12 ounce  baskets strawberries -- hulled and sliced
                        -- (abt. 4 cups)
  2        tablespoons  sugar
  2        tablespoons  banana liqueur or brandy

Preparation:

Fudge Sauce: Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Refrigerate. Rewarm sauce over low heat until lukewarm, stirring frequently) STRAWBERRIES IN LIQUEUR: Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. let stand at room temperature 2 hoirs or refrigerate up to 4 hours. Instructions for Shortcakes: Preheat oven to 400ø.. Line large baking sheet with parchament paper. Whisk cream, chocolate syrup, vanilla and dissolved expresso powder in small bowl. Blend flour, /2 cup sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt in processor. Add 1/4 cup chilled butter, process until mixture resembles fine meal. Add chocolate cream mixture and blend, usung on/off turns, until moist clumps form. Turn dough out onto work surface. Gather dough into a ball; divide into 6 equal pieces. Using lightly floured hands, form each piece into 2-inch-high, 2-in. diameter mounds. Place on prepared baking sheet, Spacing shortcakes 3 inches apart (shortcakes will spread). Brush tops of shortcakes with melted butter. Sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon sugar. Bake shortcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean with some moist crumbs attached, About 15 minutes. Cool on sheet. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 350ø oven about 5 minutes before continuing.) Cut shortcakes horizontally in half. Whisk banana liqueur into warm Fudge Sauce. Spoon scant 1/2 cup warm sauce on each of 6 plates. Place bottom of shortcakes onto sauce. Top with scoop of ice cream. Spoon strawberries over. Add shortcake top and serve.

Nutritional Information:

302 Calories (kcal); 24g Total Fat; (68% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 23g Carbohydrate; 83mg Cholesterol; 214mg Sodium