Chocolate caramel tart recipe

Details

• Cuisine: British
• Recipe Type: Tart
• Difficulty: Medium
• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Serves: 8

Step-by-step

For the caramel sauce

1. Pour the sugar into a scrupulously clean and dry, deep heavy-based pan and cook over a medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until it begins to melt. Do not stir it.
2. Meanwhile, warm the milk in the microwave or in a pan. Mix it with the melted butter or margarine in a jug. Whisk in the cream of tartar, if using.
3. When about a third of the sugar is melted, remove from the heat and stir gently with a clean, dry wooden spoon to incorporate the unmelted sugar.
4. Continue to stir for about a minute until all the sugar has melted and no graininess remains.
5. Carefully pour in 1–2 tablespoons of the milk mixture, but beware as the caramel will bubble and splutter. Stir to combine, then carefully add the rest of liquid and salt, to taste (add more for a salted caramel sauce). If it has split or is lumpy, return to a low heat and melt again, but only very briefly or it may become more like bitter toffee than caramel.
6. Allow to cool slightly. Use immediately or pour into a clean, heatproof jar with a lid while still hot; it will thicken considerably as it cools. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Bring up to room temperature to soften.

For the tart

1. Heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas mark 6.
2. Roll out the pastry to about 2mm (0.01 inches) thick and so it fits a 25cm (10 inch) loose-bottomed tart tin. Line the tin with the pastry, trimming the overhanging edges to form a neat edge (save the trimmings for another recipe). Chill for 15 minutes in the freezer.
3. Cut out a large sheet of baking parchment to fit the tart tin, then gently press it into the corners, pleating the paper so it sticks upwards over the edges. Fill with ceramic baking beans (or dried beans that you don’t intend to cook) and bake for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, mix together the 1 tablespoon milk, the oil and golden syrup or agave nectar.
5. Remove the pastry case from the oven and carefully lift out the paper and beans. Reduce the oven to 170ºC/340°F/gas mark 3½.
6. Prick the base all over with a fork, then lightly brush all over with the milk wash. Bake for a further 15–20 minutes, spinning the tart tin around halfway through for even baking, until the case is golden brown and quite crisp. Set aside while you make the filling.
7. Melt the chocolate, milk, vanilla and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of just simmering water until the chocolate is melted and the mixture thickens (if it becomes fudgy or grainy, add a couple more tablespoons milk and beat until smooth and silky). Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
8. Spread the caramel sauce smoothly over the bottom of the cooled pastry case. Spoon over the warm chocolate ganache, disturbing the caramel layer as little as possible. Use a spatula to gently spread the filling out. Chill for 2 hours until set. Don’t worry if it looks like it has separated slightly.
9. When ready to serve, transfer from the tin to a serving plate, dust with the cocoa and sprinkle the almonds on top.