Black Bottom-Java Cream Tart

Chocolate curls look lovely on this pie, but if you want a simpler decoration, sprinkle with grated chocolate or garnish with chocolate espresso beans. You can pipe dollops of cream around the outside edge of the pie or it can be replace with cream spread evenly over the pie top.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• TART PASTRY

• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  cold butter
• 2  beaten  egg yolks
• 1  tablespoon  chilled water

• FILLING

• 1⁄3 cup  semisweet chocolate pieces or 1⁄3 cup  chopped  semisweet chocolate
• 1  tablespoon margarine or 1  tablespoon butter
• 1⁄4 cup  whippping  cream
• 1  teaspoon light corn syrup
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 3  tablespoons cornstarch
• 2  teaspoons instant coffee crystals
• 1 3⁄4 cups milk
• 2  beaten  egg yolks
• 1⁄2 cup  semisweet chocolate pieces or 1⁄2 cup  semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2  tablespoons margarine or 2  tablespoons butter
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄2 cup  whipping cream, whipped
•  chocolate curls

Directions

1. TART PASTRY: In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour and sugar. Cut in butter till pieces are the size of small peas.
2. In a small mixing bowl stir together egg yolks and water. Gradually stir egg yolk mixture into flour mixture. Gently knead the dough just till a ball forms.
3. To prepare in a food processor, place the steel blade in the work bowl. Add flour, sugar and butter. Process with on/off turns till pieces are the size of small peas. Stir together egg yolks and water. With machine running, quickly add liquid through the feed tube. Stop machine as soon as all liquid is added. Process with 3 more on/off turns. Remove dough and shape into a ball.
4. For easier handling, cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for 30-60 minutes. Use as directed in recipe.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 13-inch circle. Ease pastry into an 11-inch tart pan. Prick pastry. Line pastry with a double thickness of foil. Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 5-10 minutes more, or until light brown. Cool in pan on rack.
6. FILLING: Meanwhile in a small heavy saucepan melt 1/3 cup of chocolate pieces or chopped chocolate and 1 tablespoons margarne or butter over low heat; set aside. In a heavy saucepan stir together 1/4 cup whipping cream and corn syrup. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate mixture. Cool to room temperature. Spread cooled mixture over the bottom and up the sides of the pastry shell; set aside.
7. In a saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch and coffee crystals. Stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat till mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Removed from heat . Gradually stir about half of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks. Return all to saucepan. Cook and stir till bubbly. Reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate pieces or chopped chocolate, 2 tablespoons margarine or butter, and the vanilla till chocolate is melted. Pour into pastry shell. Cover surface with plastic wrap. Chill for 4-24 hours, or till firm. To serve, carefully remove plastic wrap; remove sides of pan. Pipe whipped cream over top of pie. Garnish with chocolate curls.