Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart
This chocolate and caramel pie is absolutely amazing. A butter almond crust, sticky salted caramel and sweet and sour chocolate ganache, garnished with salt crystals.
Ingredients
FOR THE TART CRUST
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL FILLING
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy cream
- anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoon kosher salt to taste
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE FILLING
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate broken into small pieces
OPTIONAL
- about 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt for garnish
Instructions
TO MAKE PIE CRUST:
First, place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor.
Then, stir in the butter, until the mixture looks like a coarse meal.
Add the egg yolk, cream and vanilla and mix until the dough collects in a ball and comes off cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a thickness of about 1/8 inch and gently press it into a 9-inch diameter pie pan, removing any excess.
Bake the pie shell for 18 to 22 minutes, or until it is completely set and begins to brown golden around the edges.
Garnish with salted caramel and chocolate ganache and garnish with flaky sea salt.
TO FILL SALTED CARAMEL:
First, in a small saucepan, gently heat the cream, butter and salt until the butter has melted and the salt is completely dissolved.
Then, remove from heat and add the vanilla.
In a larger saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water.
Heat over a medium high flame, swirling the pot occasionally to distribute the heat evenly.
Continue to boil the sugar mixture until the bubbles start to get smaller and turn amber.
Reduce the heat to low and pour the mixture of hot cream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps or crystals.
Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the jar and continue to simmer the caramel until it reaches 245 degrees F.
Immediately pour the hot caramel into the prepared crust.
TO FILL WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
Place the chocolate in a small bowl and add the cream.
Heat the chocolate and cream in the microwave (in 30 second increments) or in a double boiler until the cream is hot and the chocolate is melted.
Whisk the ganache until it is smooth and shiny and pour over the cooled caramel.
Let the ganache take, then garnish with flaky sea salt.
Happy Cooking Time.
