Chocolate Caramel Tart

[kirra]

Chocolate Caramel Tart

This luscious, grown-up dessert has textures and flavors that blend perfectly: crumbly cookie crust, gooey buttery caramel and velvety chocolate ganache. It’s best to have a candy thermometer on hand for this recipe.

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process or natural)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel:

1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons ligh corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons water
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
6 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon creme fraiche

Ganache:

4 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
Coarse sea salt, for garnish

Preparation:

Crust:
Have ready a 13-by-4-inch rectangular tart pan (or a 9-inch round tart pan) with a removable bottom.

Combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt in a medium bowl.

Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low; add the egg yolks one at a time and the vanilla extract, beating until well incorporated.

Add the flour mixture gradually; beat until just incorporated. The dough will be moist and sticking to the sides of the bowl. Transfer to the tart pan and press it evenly into the bottom and sides; wet your fingers as needed to keep the dough from sticking to your hands. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

When the tart shell is almost chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Use a fork to prick holes in the bottom of the tart shell. (This dough acts more like a cookie dough so it does not require pie weights to keep it from rising.) Bake for 20 minutes; the tart shell should be thoroughly done. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool while you make the caramel and ganache.

Caramel:
Whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, salt and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook without stirring for 10 to 15 minutes, until the caramel is a golden brown color and starts to give off a nutty, sugary smell. It is important for the caramel to have a distinct color and flavor; otherwise, it will lose a subtle and necessary bitterness. The addition of fat (butter, cream and creme fraiche) will soften the flavor.

Remove from the heat, then gradually whisk in the butter, cream and creme fraiche; the mixture will bubble up briefly; whisk until smooth. Pour into the cooled crust. If you are using the rectangular tart pan, there will be about 2/3 cup of caramel left over (reserve and refrigerate for another use). Cover loosely with aluminum foil and refrigerate for 4 or 5 hours, until the caramel is firm. The caramel will soften a bit when brought back to room temperature.

While the caramel is setting up, make the ganache: Place the chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl.

Heat the cream to just below a boil, over medium heat. Pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth and well incorporated.

Pour the ganache evenly over the chilled tart; let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes to set and cool slightly. Refrigerate for 4 or 5 hours, until the ganache is set.

When ready to serve, sprinkle the top of the tart with the sea salt. Serve chilled.