Desserts

Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

Warning! If you don’t like rich, sexy desserts, close your eyes and turn the page- this recipe is not for you! Don’t like spending time in the kitchen? Maybe this recipe is also not for you, since there are several steps involved.

But it’s worth it, because this dessert is a real show-stopper. A cocoa-infused pie crust with a salted caramel filling, topped with a chocolate ganache. You can make this dessert in one large 9-10 inch tart pan or make 4-5 individual tartlets:

Here’s some suggestions for achieving this amazing dessert:

After making the dough for the tart crust, be sure and let it chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or more, so the dough doesn’t break apart when you roll it out.
After you make the caramel, let it set in the fridge first before spreading the chocolate ganache on top. Otherwise, the chocolate will mix in with the caramel.
Some people worry that the caramel ‘leaks out’ and becomes runny when serving the tart. If this happens, just chill the tart a little before serving.
Let the chocolate ganache cool a few minutes before spreading onto the caramel so that it is not too runny and can hold it’s shape.

Otherwise, it’s full steam ahead!

Here’s a few basic steps for preparing the crust:

First, roll out the dough until it is about 1/8 inch thick, then drape it over the top of the tart pan and press the dough into the sides and bottom of the pan. Then pass a rolling pin over the top of the pan to cut away the excess dough and to reveal the nice sharp edges of the pan.

: Roll out dough and press into the tart pan

: Pass a rolling pin on top to cut away the excess dough

Pull the dough away of the pan to finish.

Then blind-bake the dough for 10 minutes using pie weights or dried beans. Remove the weights and then bake for another 10-15 minutes until the dough is cooked through.

After baking, fill the cooled crust with the caramel and chill in the fridge. Then add the chocolate ganache on top.

Finish by adding some sea salt flakes, then serve. Now I’m off to have my third piece (or fourth) of chocolate tart!

Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

Print Recipe

Serves: 8 Cooking Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

For the pastry crust:
2 ¼ cups (270 g) plain flour
1/3 cup (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
5 ½ oz (150 g) chilled salted butter- cubed
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 eggs
3-4 Tbsp. chilled water
For the Caramel Filling:
1½ cups (340 g) sugar
1/3 cup (85 ml) water
3 oz (85 g) chilled butter, cut into pieces
⅓ cup (85 ml) heavy cream
1 tsp. sea salt flakes
For the Chocolate Ganache:
6 oz. (170g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup (188 ml) thickened cream
3 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces
Sea Salt Flakes

Instructions

Place the flour, cocoa, sugar and chilled butter cubes into a food processor and pulse until the ingredients become like course granules of sand. Transfer ingredients to a bowl, make a well in the center and add the two eggs. Stir with a wooden spoon and gradually add enough chilled (3-4 Tbsps) water so that the dough comes together into a ball. The dough should be moist enough to ‘hang together’ in a ball, but does not become too sticky. Place the dough on a lightly-floured work surface and knead 6-7 times until the dough is smooth. Flatten into a ¾ inch disc, cover with plastic and chill until firm (1-2 hours).

Pre-heat oven to 350 F (180 C).

Remove dough from the fridge and roll out into a circle about 2 inches larger than the diameter of your tart pan. Fold the dough in half and drape over the edges of your pan, allowing the dough to overhang about 2 inches over the edges. Press the dough down into the bottom and sides of the pan, using your fingers. Pass a rolling pin over the top of the pan to shear off the excess dough. Use the tines of a fork to prick the bottom of the pie dough; place in freezer for 10 minutes to chill the dough.

Remove from the fridge and prepare for the blind baking of the dough: place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan and fill with pie weights or dried beans or rice. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the rim of the edges of the crust appear to be dry, remove the parchment and pie weights and continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes until the pie crust is firm and dry all over. Let cool while you prepare the caramel.

For the Caramel Filling:

Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture turns a dark amber color (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the butter pieces, then add the cream and sea salt flakes. The mixture should be smooth and creamy, not runny. Transfer the mixture to a glass measuring cup and let cool for several minutes. Pour the caramel into the cooled tart shell and chill in the fridge for at least one hour until set.

For the Chocolate Ganache:

Combine the chocolate, cream and butter in a heat-proof bowl placed over a pan of simmering water. Stir until melted. Let cool for a few minutes, then spread over the caramel and top with the sea salt flakes.