caramel chocolate tart

 
This rich tart is my celebratory 500th blog post.

It takes a long time to prepare but it's worth it because it's extravagant deliciousness.

I'm not a big fan of caramel in general, but this tart caught my eye as I read delicious magazine last year and I've been dreaming of making it ever since. Hence why this is another 2009 Food Challenge.

There was quite a lot of caramel leftover from the recipe and, since it's so good, I've had to control myself from eating spoonfuls of it straight from the fridge while I try to figure out what I'm going to use it for.

I also had lots of extra chocolate custard too, so, unless I did something wrong, you might want to come up with some other desserts to use up the leftovers.

The recipe recommends serving with whipped cream, but it's so rich you might prefer it with crème fraîche parfait.

Caramel Chocolate Tart

Recipe from delicious Magazine (March 2008). Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:
395g can sweetened condensed milk
250g block Carême dark chocolate shortcrust pastry
225g good-quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped
2 eggs
150ml thickened cream
100ml milk

Method:

1. Remove and discard label from can of condensed milk. Using a can opener make two small holes in the top.

2. Place in a saucepan (open side up). Fill pan with cold water to come almost to the top of the can (about 1cm from top).

3. Bring water to the boil then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 3 hours until a caramel forms, topping up with water to keep the same level.

4. Carefully remove can and cool. Scoop out caramel then set aside.

5. Lightly grease an 11cm x 35cm loose-bottomed tart pan.

6. Roll pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper to 5mm thick, then line tart pan. Chill for 20 minutes.

7. Preheat oven to 180’C.

8. Line the pastry with baking paper and pastry weights or uncooked rice.

9. Blind-bake for 10 minutes then remove paper and weights and bake for 5 minutes or until pastry is dry.

10. Reduce oven to 150’C.

11. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, not letting the bowl touch the water. Allow to melt then stir until smooth. Remove from heat.

12. Gently whisk eggs in a separate bowl to just combine but not froth.

13. Heat cream and milk in a saucepan over medium heat until just below boiling point.

14. Pour over eggs in a thin stream, whisking constantly to avoid scrambling eggs.

15. Return the mixture to the pan over a low heat and stir for 5 minutes until thick.

16. Pour through a sieve over the chocolate and stir until completely combined and smooth.

17. Spread three-quarters of the caramel over the pastry.

18. Pour over chocolate custard then bake for 5 minutes or until just set.

19. Turn oven off. Leave tart in cooling oven, with door closed, for 1 hour.

20. Remove and cool completely before slicing.

21. Serve with extra caramel, whipped cream or cream swirled with caramel.

Note: For my tart, on top of the cooking times above, the caramel needed about 1 hour longer to form, the pastry needed to blind-bake about 5 minutes longer to dry out, the custard took a few minutes extra to thicken and the chocolate top needed to bake about 5-10 minutes longer to set.