This is a wonderful coffee flavored, chilled tart that is not difficult to make, and fun to serve. The sweet pastry is filled with ground hazelnuts and pre-baked before adding the filling of coffee, eggs and cream. One of the secrets in making the filling is to have all the ingredients prepared and ready before starting. As the coffee and unflavored gelatin mixture is cooling, whip the cream and egg whites, then the egg yolk and sugar mixture. Once the cooler ingredients are folded in, the mixture will start to thicken, so you’ll want to work quickly to get the finished mixture poured into the pan

Coffee Cream Tart

Ingredients:

Pastry:

1½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup hazelnuts (filberts), finely ground

1 large egg

1½ tablespoons cold water

Filling:

1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee (espresso powder)

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

¾ cup hot water

2 large eggs, separated

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 tablespoons brandy

1½ cups whipping (heavy) cream

Topping:

2/3 cup whipping (heavy) cream

¼ cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar

1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped pistachio nuts

12 sugar Easter egg candies.

Directions:

Pastry:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
   
   
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour and sugar. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the ground hazelnuts.
   
   
3. In a small bowl, stir together the egg and cold water. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together and can be formed into a ball.
   
   
4. Press pastry evenly into a 9 inch springform pan with a removable bottom, patting pastry evenly over bottom. Lightly prick the pastry and with a fork at ½ inch intervals.
   
   Bake Blind:
5. Place the springform pan on a cookie sheet. Line the pastry with a large piece of parchment paper or foil, placing the paper directly on top of the pastry, and allowing the paper to extend up over the sides of the pan so that you have enough paper to grab onto after baking. Fill the pastry with pie weights or dried beans or rice to keep the crust from puffing up and shrinking.
   
   
6. Place the pan in the oven, on the cookie sheet, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Let stand about 30 seconds, and then gently remove the paper and the beans.
   
   
7. Return the pan to the oven and continue baking another 10 to 15 minutes or until the pastry is lightly browned around the edges. Remove pan from oven and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
   
   Filling:
8. In a small bowl, combine the instant coffee, unflavored gelatin, and hot water. Still until completely dissolved. Set aside to cool.
   
   
9. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks with an electric hand mixer until thick and lemon colored, about 2 minutes. Add sugar, vanilla extract, and brandy; continue beating another 2 minutes until mixture is thick. Set aside.
   
   
10. In a medium mixing bowl, and using clean beaters, beat the egg whites until stiff.  Set aside.
    
    
11. In another medium mixing bowl, and using clean beaters, beat the whipping cream until cream is thick and stiff.  Set aside.
    
    
12. Meanwhile, if the egg yolk mixture has separated while sitting, beat another minute to re-combine and thicken the ingredients. Stir in the cooled coffee mixture. Using a balloon type wire whisk or large rubber spatula, gently fold in the egg whites and whipping cream.
    
    
13. Pour mixture into the springform pan over the cooled pastry shell. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight until firm.
    
    
14. When ready to serve, run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the tart. Unclip the side of the springform pan, and gently lift off the outer ring.
    
    Topping:
15. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer beat the whipping cream until soft mounds form; gradually add the sugar continue beating until cream is thick and stiff.
    
    
16. Place whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a fluted decorating tip. Pipe rosettes of cream onto tart. Decorate with pistachios and Easter eggs.
    
    
17. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Refrigerate leftovers.
    
    Makes 10 to 12 servings.
    
    TheBakingPan.com
    
    Adapted From:
    Wolter, Annette, Teubner, Christian, Best of Baking, Fisher Publishing, 1980
    ___________________________________________________