Chocolate Caramel Tart



Is there anything more decadent than ooey gooey ever so slightly salted caramel that's topped with a dark chocolate ganache? Chocolate and caramel, I love you so! 

I came across this recipe in an old Saveur magazine that was chatting up the Brooklyn restaurant Marlow & Sons. I guess this is a really popular dessert, and for a good reason! Let me backtrack for a minute...back in the fall I was out for a walk in my neighborhood when I came across a cardboard box some nice person had put on their stoop that was full of old cooking magazines. Jackpot! At first I did the neighborly, "I'm just going to take this one, and this one, and this issue sounds great...." Well then I decided, what the hell, thank you I'll just take the box! Good thing I didn't have to walk very far, the weight of 30 or so magazines can really add up! I'm sure I'm not the only foodie out there who would be thrilled with this kind of find, right?? 

Anyways, this recipe comes from that glorious find and it's a good great one! One very important thing to note about this recipe, give yourself enough time as each layer needs several hours to cool and set before moving to the next stage. The recipe starts simply by making a chocolate dough that is pushed into place. Let this rest and cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Remove and prick all over with a fork and then give the bottom a good swipe of egg wash to set the pastry while it bakes. 

Next up is the caramel. This can be a little tricky and I definitely recommend using a candy thermometer so you can monitor the temperature. You want to cook the sugar and other ingredients (without stirring) until they get amber in color. You want the thermometer to get to around 365 degrees. I took my caramel off the heat around 355 degrees because it was getting dark in color quickly. Be careful, caramel does burn quickly and then it's ruined. Pour this into the baked and cooled pastry. 

Allow about 3-4 hours before moving to the last step, chocolate ganache. I like to make my ganache by melting the chocolate with a double boiler and then stirring in the cream and butter. Pour this on top of the set caramel. At this stage you can top with flakes of sea salt or chocolate curls if you want to decorate the top. Place the tart back in the fridge and allow to fully set for another 3-4 hours.

You know what they say about one person's garbage....this chocolate caramel tart is a total treasure!

Enjoy! 
xo L




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