Chocolate Espresso Kahlua Tart

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups hazelnuts
• 1 1/3 cups chocolate wafers, finely ground
• 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• salt, pinch
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup kahlua
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• salt, pinch
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons sugar

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• 2 spread hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet.
• 3 toast until skins split and nuts turn golden brown, around 10 minutes, shaking pan a few times so the nuts do not burn.
• 4 remove from oven, reduce heat to 325 degrees.
• 5 rub nuts with a towel to remove skins.
• 6 cool then finely grind in a food processor.
• 7 in a small bowl combine the ground nuts, cookie crumbs, espresso powder, salt and butter.
• 8 press into the bottom and up the sides of a 11 inch round tart pan.
• 9 chill for 30 minutes.
• 10 place chilled tart shell on a baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes.
• 11 cool completely.
• 12 in a medium bowl whisk together the kahlua, cocoa, egg yolks, espresso powder and salt.
• 13 melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler.
• 14 whisk in kahlua mixture.
• 15 continue whisking until mixture has thickened and registers 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer.
• 16 remove from heat and let cool completely.
• 17 using an electric mixer beat cream until you get stiff peaks.
• 18 whisk egg whites and sugar in a double boiler over simmering water.
• 19 keep whisking until sugar is dissolved and meringue registers 160 degrees on thermometer.
• 20 remove from heat.
• 21 whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form.
• 22 on high speed continue to whisk until peaks are stiff and glossy.
• 23 using a spatula gently fold in chocolate mixture, then whipped cream.
• 24 spread evenly into cooled tart shell.
• 25 chill 2 hours or overnight.