Espresso Crème Brûlée Tart

Prepare Crust

1. 1Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. 2Line the pie crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
3. 3Blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove parchment and weights, then bake for another 5 minutes until lightly golden.
4. 4Remove from oven and let cool slightly while preparing the custard.

Make Espresso Custard

1. 1In a medium saucepan, heat the heavy cream and espresso powder over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Do not boil.
2. 2While the cream is heating, whisk together the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of sugar in a separate bowl until pale and slightly thickened.
3. 3Slowly temper the egg mixture: gradually ladle about half of the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly.
4. 4Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream. Stir in the vanilla extract.
5. 5Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (about 5-8 minutes). Do not let it boil.
6. 6Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any lumps.

Assemble and Bake

1. 1Pour the strained custard into the partially baked pie crust.
2. 2Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).
3. 3Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the custard is set around the edges but still has a slight wobble in the center.
4. 4Remove from oven and let the tart cool completely on a wire rack.
5. 5Once cooled, cover the tart with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until fully chilled and set.

Caramelize and Serve

1. 1Just before serving, evenly sprinkle the 1/4 cup of sugar over the surface of the chilled custard.
2. 2Using a kitchen torch, carefully caramelize the sugar until it forms a hard, amber-colored crust. Move the torch continuously to avoid burning.
3. 3Let the caramelized sugar set for a minute or two before slicing and serving.