Chill your tools. Place a large mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge or freezer for 10–15 minutes. Cold equipment helps the cream whip faster and hold its shape.

Make the mocha mixture. In a small bowl, whisk cooled espresso, cocoa powder, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Set aside.

Beat the mascarpone. In the chilled bowl, beat the mascarpone or cream cheese with the sugar until creamy and smooth. Don’t overbeat—just blend out any lumps.

Whip the cream. Pour in the heavy cream and beat on medium-high until you get soft peaks. Add the mocha mixture and continue beating until you reach sturdy, spreadable peaks. It should be thick but not grainy.

Start layering. Spread a thin layer of mocha cream on the bottom of a 9x13-inch dish or a 9-inch springform pan. This helps the first layer of cookies stick.

Add the wafers. Arrange a single layer of chocolate wafers over the cream, leaving no big gaps. Break a few cookies if needed to fill the edges.

Build it up. Spread about 1 cup of mocha cream evenly over the wafers. Repeat with another layer of wafers and cream. Continue until you have 4–5 layers, finishing with cream on top.

Decorate. Dust the top with cocoa powder and add chocolate shavings or mini chips if you like. A few curls of dark chocolate make it look polished.

Chill to set. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, but overnight (8–12 hours) is best. The cookies will soften and meld into a cake-like texture.

Slice and serve. Run a warm knife around the edges if using a springform pan. Slice cleanly with a sharp knife and wipe between cuts for neat pieces.