1/3 c Icing sugar
1/2 c Unsalted butter, softened
2 ts White vinegar
1 Egg yolk
3/4 c Ground almonds
1 1/3 c Cake-and-pastry flour
pn Salt
FILLING
1 1/4 c Whipping cream
10 oz Semisweet chocolate, chopped
TOPPING
1/2 c Granulated sugar
16 Whole roasted hazelnuts
In bowl, beat together icing sugar and butter until smooth. Whisk together
vinegar and egg yolk; beat into butter mixture. Stir in almonds. Stir in
flour and salt to make soft dough. Let stand for 10 minutes.
On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Transfer
to 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Trim, using extra dough to patch
any tears in pastry. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Prick pastry shell all
over with fork. Bake in 425F 220C oven for 12-15 minutes.
Filling: In top of double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, heat half of
the cream, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until almost boiling.
Remove from heat; stir in chocolate until melted and smooth. Blend in
remaining cream. Pour into pastry shell; refrigerate for 1 hour or until
set.
Topping: In small heavy saucepan, cook sugar over medium-high heat until
melted and golden brown. Immediately plunge bottom of pan into cold water
for 15 seconds. Working quickly, dip 2 of the hazelnuts into sugar and
place on foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining hazelnuts. Let
cool. Place around edge of pie.
Yields
10 Servings