Chocolate Tart with Salted Caramel

Dark chocolate and salted caramel are a match made in pastry heaven!

Photographs: Natasha Liviero

Text: Natasha Liviero

Chocolate Tart with Salted Caramel

(Makes 12 x 7cm tarts)

Sable

This 'well behaved' sable dough by pastry chef, Antonio Bachour, requires no blind baking.

Ingredients:

398g flour

98g icing/confectioners sugar

45g almond flour

pinch of salt

180g cold unsalted butter, cubed

70g eggs

1 egg white, beaten

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 165°C.

2. Sift flour into a bowl and add sugar, almond flour, salt and butter. Beat with a paddle attachment until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

3. Add eggs and mix until a ball is formed.

4. Divide the ball into two and roll each ball between two pieces of parchment paper until 2mm thick. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

5. Butter tart rings and line with dough. Dock the bases lightly with a fork. Refrigerate for 15 minutes before baking for 15 - 18 minutes or until lightly golden.

6. Lightly brush the hot bases with egg whites to seal the fork holes and return to the oven for 1 minute.

7. Remove from rings and cool.

Salted Caramel

Ingredients:

170g sugar

70g unsalted butter, cubed

125ml whipping cream

½ tsp salt

Method:

1. Caramelise the sugar over low heat in a heavy-based frying pan. Don't stir — simply swirl the pan to avoid crystallisation. Keep a close eye on the sugar when it begins to caramelise as it burns quickly.

2. Remove from heat, add butter and whisk to combine.

3. Return to heat and add the cream, whisking vigorously until smooth. It will splutter and appear to have split — keep whisking until it comes together.

4. Remove from heat, whisk in the salt and set aside to cool.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:

220g 70% dark chocolate

220g whipping cream

45g full cream milk

45g unsalted butter, room temperature

Method:

1. Roughly chop the chocolate and place it in a medium-sized bowl.

2. Bring cream and milk to a boil.

3. Pour hot cream mixture over the chocolate and leave for 2 minutes before whisking until smooth.

4. Add butter and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

Assembly:

1. Fill cooled tart shells a 1/3 full with salted caramel. (If the caramel has set, heat slightly in the microwave to achieve pouring consistency.) Place in the fridge for 5 minutes to solidify.

2. Pour the cooled ganache over the caramel layer, filling to the top.

3. Set aside to solidify at room temperature or in the fridge until set.

4. Serve as is or decorate with: toasted cocoa nibs / berries / chocolate beads/shavings.

5. Best eaten the day they are made. Store left overs in an airtight container in the refrigerator.