Steps for the Hazelnut Flavored Cream Tart

• To prepare the D-shaped cream tart, start with the shortcrust pastry.
  In the bowl of the stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or in a bowl with electric beaters, work the sugar with the room-temperature butter cut into cubes, add the vanilla, the egg, and finally the flour, quickly mix the dough until the flour is completely absorbed, obtaining the classic shortcrust consistency.
  If needed, use more flour, then wrap the dough in plastic wrap or parchment paper and let it rest in the fridge for over 30 minutes.
  Meanwhile, prepare the template in the shape of a letter D or another letter or number, if you have one use a white cardboard, otherwise draw the letter on a piece of parchment paper.
  To make the template I drew the letter D freehand, also using a square, with a pen I outlined the outer drawing, then I freehanded the border more or less about 1.5 inches and cut it out with scissors.
  

  

• After a good half hour, take the dough from the fridge and divide it into two portions. With the help of a rolling pin, roll out the first portion on a parchment paper sheet, to a thickness of about 1/8 inch. Lay the D-shaped template or another letter or number and with a smooth wheel and a pointed knife, cut out the shape of your base. Remove the excess dough and place the parchment paper with the template on a baking sheet.
  Do the same with the other portion, making a second D-shaped template and with the remaining dough make small cookies of various shapes.

  BAKING SHORTCRUST PASTRY
  Bake the two shortcrust templates in the preheated oven at 350°F for about 15 – 18 minutes, fan-forced. As soon as the biscuit pastry turns golden, remove them from the oven and let cool before moving them, otherwise they will break.
  Also bake the cookies you have made.

• Meanwhile, prepare the filling cream.
  Whip the well-chilled heavy cream from the fridge in a bowl that’s also cold with powdered sugar; beat until it’s stiff.
  In a separate bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese, then with a spatula, fold it into the whipped cream, and beat for a few more minutes to mix the ingredients well.
  Divide the cream into two bowls, add the hazelnut paste to one and leave the other white; optionally, you can flavor it with vanilla or liquor.
  Then transfer the cream into a piping bag with a wide round nozzle.

  

• Divide the cream into two bowls, add the hazelnut paste to one and leave the other white; optionally, you can flavor it with vanilla or liquor.
  Then transfer the hazelnut cream into a piping bag with a wide round nozzle.

• Gently place a letter D of biscuit pastry on a serving tray, decorate with many regular dollops of hazelnut cream on the base, and then gently place the other matching D letter template on top.
  Continue covering with many regular hazelnut and white dollops and then decorate as desired.
  

  

• To decorate this type of cake, usually, macarons, meringues, flowers, and lots of fruits are used. I used what I had at home: strawberries, blueberries, small cookies, colored eggs, hazelnut crumbs, chocolate chips, and flowers.
  But let your imagination run wild and decorate with whatever you like best!
  Once ready, let the cake rest in the fridge for many hours before serving; this helps to soften the biscuit a bit and makes it easier to cut and portion the servings.