Dark Chocolate & Salted Caramel Tart

Before I begin, just a quick disclaimer for all of you planning on giving this recipe a go, this tart is just about the literal definition of 'death by chocolate'. It is extremely rich and decadent, but this makes it the perfect dessert for a big group as it's almost impossible to eat more than one slice in a sitting.

I've tested this recipe out on a bunch of people and I've never come across anyone who didn't absolutely love it. So without further ado I'll get into the recipe!

Ingredients List:

Base:
- Two sheets of sweet short crust pastry

Chocolate Filling:
- 3/4 cup of cream
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 400 grams of dark chocolate (I usually use Whittakers 50% Dark Block)
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk

Salted Caramel:
- 1 cup of caster sugar
- 85 grams of butter
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1 tsp salt

Note: All up you'll need one 300ml small bottle of cream and some baking beans would be helpful but if you don't have those some rice will also do the trick!

Recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

2. Line your baking dish with baking paper and place your pastry in it, shape the pastry to suit your dish. Cover the pastry with baking paper and weigh the paper down with baking beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes or until a golden colour.

3. While this bakes, start the chocolate filling. In a mid-sized saucepan on medium heat bring the milk and cream to the boil while stirring continuously. Once it has begun to boil bring it off the heat and stir in the dark chocolate.

4. Whisk the egg and egg yolk together in a separate bowl and then slowly add 1/2 cup of the chocolate mix to the eggs while continuing to whisk rapidly ( I usually get someone to give me a hand). The purpose of this is to stop the eggs from scrambling in the hot chocolate mix (ew). Add the egg mix to the original chocolate mix and combine.

5.  Pour the chocolate mix onto the pre-cooked pastry and return it to the oven for around 25 minutes or until it is set.

6. While the tart bakes you can begin the salted caramel. Put a small saucepan on medium heat and add the caster sugar - stir continuously! Once the sugar has dissolved add the butter and continue to stir up until it begins to boil. Add the cream, stir, and then take the saucepan off the heat and add the salt.

7. Once both the tart and the salted caramel has cooled, pour the salted caramel onto the top of the tart and refrigerate (ideally overnight but at least 6 hours should be sufficient).

8. Cut into small slices and serve with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Hope you all have enjoyed this recipe! Let me know if you try it for yourself, I'd love to hear from you!

- Ruby


This recipe has been adapted from Dan & Christie from MKR.