Description
This Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart features a rich chocolate pastry crust filled with a luscious salted caramel layer, topped with a smooth dark chocolate ganache. Perfectly balanced with a hint of sea salt, this indulgent dessert combines buttery cocoa pastry, silky caramel, and velvety ganache for an irresistible treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 185g plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 30g cocoa powder
- 40g caster sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 120g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes and frozen for 30 minutes
- 60g cold milk of choice
- 200g caster sugar
- 60g unsalted butter
- 350ml double cream (heavy cream), warmed
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 tsp salt
- 250g dark chocolate or favorite chocolate bar, roughly chopped
- 300ml double cream (heavy cream)
- Cocoa powder for dusting
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and sugar to a food processor or mix in a bowl until well combined.
- Incorporate the frozen cubes of cold butter, blitzing or using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles sandy crumbs with small lumps of butter.
- Briefly pulse or mix in the cold milk until the dough starts to come together into a cohesive ball, avoiding overworking.
- Turn dough onto a countertop, gently press into a disc, wrap tightly in baking paper or cling film, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- After chilling, flour the counter and both sides of the dough. Roll out evenly with frequent turning, aiming for about 3mm thickness and sized 2 inches larger than a 10″ tart tin.
- Roll dough onto the rolling pin and carefully unroll over the tart tin. Press gently into the tin’s edges and trim excess dough with a sharp knife for a clean finish.
- Brush off excess flour, prick all over with a fork, cover with baking paper or cling film, and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes to prevent shrinkage.
- Heat the oven to 170°C fan / 190°C conventional (340°F / 375°F).
- Place tart tin on a baking tray, cover with scrunched baking paper and baking beans/rice, and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove paper and beans, then return the pastry to the oven for another 15 minutes (or longer if needed) until fully baked and lightly firm.
- Let the tart cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack until completely cool. Return to the tin afterwards for filling.
- Melt caster sugar over medium-low heat in a saucepan without metal utensils, stirring gently with a silicon spatula until caramelized to a deep amber color.
- Immediately add butter, followed by warmed double cream, vanilla paste, and salt. Whisk constantly to create a silky, smooth caramel sauce.
- If caramel seizes, cover with a lid and whisk every 2 minutes over low heat until smooth. Optionally, heat caramel to 113°C (235°F) using a thermometer for precision.
- Allow caramel to cool slightly until pourable but not hot, pour evenly over the tart shell, and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours until set.
- Place chopped chocolate in a heat-resistant bowl. Heat cream over medium-low heat until gently steaming but not boiling.
- Pour warm cream over chocolate, let sit for 1 minute, then whisk from center outward until smooth. Use a spatula to incorporate any residual chocolate.
- Pour ganache immediately over chilled caramel layer, tilt the tart to spread evenly, and refrigerate until completely set.
- Just before serving, dust the tart with cocoa powder and sprinkle flaky sea salt for an elegant finishing touch.
Notes
- Allow sufficient chilling time for best results.
- Use high-quality chocolate for the ganache.
- Keep the tart refrigerated until serving.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 80mg