Hazelnut Coffee Tartelettes with Mascarpone Cream

Coffee Crust:

1. In a food processor with a steel blade blend flour, butter, sugar, salt and vanilla until mixture is crumbly.
2. Add coffee and continue to blend just until large chunk of dough form. If needed, add a little water gradually.
3. Transfer the dough chunks on a lightly floured work surface and form a disc-shape with your hands.
4. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
5. Roll out the dough on a floured work surface about 3-4 mm thick and cut out circles about 8-9 cm in diameter. Line the tartelette molds. It is important to create a right angle between the sides and the base of the crust, which will ensure the edges remain high when baking.
6. Pierce the bottom of each crust with a fork.
7. Freeze the tartelette crusts for about 30 minutes before baking.
8. Preheat oven to 170c degrees.

Blind baking:

1. Put a sheet of heat-resistant plastic wrap or baking paper over each tartelette and fill with dry beans or special weights for baking.
2. Bake for about 10-12 minutes.
3. Remove the weights and the plastic wrap and continue to bake the crust for about 2-3 minutes or until it is very lightly golden.
4. Cool at room temperature.

Hazelnut, chocolate and coffee cream:

1. In a food processor with a steel blade blend hazelnuts, sugar, butter, espresso and dark chocolate until mixture is crumbly.
2. Add cocoa powder and egg and continue to blend until a thick cream is formed.
3. Fill the tartelette crusts with cream about 3/4 of its height.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden and set. Cool completely at room temperature.

Mascarpone cream:

1. In a mixer bowl whip mascarpone, cream, vanilla and powdered sugar until you get a uniform and stable cream.
2. Transfer the whipped cream into the silicone pan, filling the molds. Straighten the top with a palate knife.
3. Freeze for about 2-3 hours, until completely frozen.

Coffee truffle:

1. In a small bowl put dark chocolate, espresso and cream and melt in the microwave or over double-boiler and whisk until smooth chocolate ganache is formed.
2. Cool for 10-15 minutes at room temperature and transfer into a pastry bag.
3. Extract the mascarpone cream form the mold and place on top of each tartelette.
4. Decorate the sides with chopped hazelnuts.
5. Fill the center with truffle mixture and decorate with toasted hazelnut halves.