Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart is a decadent dessert with thick layers of rich chocolate ganache, and salted caramel in a buttery shortbread cookie crust.
Every once in awhile, I bake something that is so wonderful that I can’t help but happy-dance all over the kitchen in between bites. Each bite explodes with flavors that far exceed my hopes when developing the recipe that I can’t help but get jazz-hands excited and happy feet.
Food has the power to invoke such emotion that sometimes it overflows into action. For me, spontaneous cheering, high fives, and the occasional dance move are likely to occur. A good Spotify guilty pleasure mix may also be a factor. Come on, now. I know you guys belt out some Taylor or Bruno on those mixes and then hang your head in shame if caught. We all do it. Guilty pleasure music brings out the closet pop star in all of us.
What I don’t feel the least bit guilty about is the sheer decadence this Salted Caramel Tart. A tender shortbread crust piled high with gooey salted caramel and rich chocolate ganache is worth owning every. single. bite. Fresh berries are the perfect accessory to this luscious dessert. Think of it like a giant Twix bar, but so, so much better.
My Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart is so good that you might be inspired to bust a move in the kitchen, too.
Get a groove on with this Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart!
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Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic
Yields One 10-inch Tart
Serves 12 pieces
Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart is a decadent dessert layering thick layers of rich chocolate ganache, and salted caramel in a buttery shortbread crust.
3 hr, 35 Prep Time
20 minCook Time
3 hr, 55 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- For the Crust:
- ¾ C. unsalted butter (12 tablespoons)
- ½ C. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 ½ C. plus 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- For the Salted Caramel:
- 2 C. granulated sugar
- ¼ C. light corn syrup
- 1 C. heavy whipping cream
- 8 Tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes
- 1 ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- For the Ganache:
- 12 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips (such as Ghiradelli brand)
- ½ C. heavy whipping cream
- Optional for Finishing:
- 1 ½ C. assorted fresh berries for garnish
- 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grab a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom . Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan and rest it inside; set the prepared pan aside.
- Prepare the crust by creaming the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Gradually mix in the flour until a soft dough just comes together. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch tart pan, trimming off the excess. Refrigerate the crust for 30 minutes. After chilling, bake the crust for 17-20 minutes or until the crust appears to brown around the edges. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
- Once the crust is cool, prepare the salted caramel by heating the sugar and corn syrup in a 4 quart stainless steel saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir with a wooden spoon once the sugar starts to melt and brown on the bottom and edges. Continue to stir while cooking to encourage the sugar to caramelize as it melts.
- Once the caramel is the color of an old penny, turn off the heat. Carefully stir in the butter and heavy whipping cream. The caramel will bubble up and steam while doing so, so be careful. Return the heat to medium-high and stir constantly while the caramel loosens up and reaches 245 degrees F (firm ball stage); about 4-5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir the kosher salt into the caramel. Pour the hot caramel over the cool crust. Allow the caramel to cool to room temperature. The caramel will stiffen as it cools.
- Once the caramel is cool to the touch, prepare the ganache by pouring the heavy whipping cream over the bittersweet chocolate chips in a medium, microwave safe bowl. Heat the chocolate and cream in
- the microwave for 30 second increments at 50% power. Stir well between each burst until chocolate is melted and smooth. Continue to stir the ganache until glossy. Once glossy in appearance, pour the ganache over the cool caramel. Allow the chocolate to cool to room temperature to set
Notes
Salted Caramel recipe gently adapted from Marbled, Swirled, and Layered by Irvin Lin.
For easier slicing, refrigerate the cooled tart for 30 minutes prior to serving. Run a sharp knife under hot water, dry the knife, and cut the tart into slices. Garnish slices with fresh berries and a sprinkling of coarse sea salt immediately prior to serving, if desired. If salt is sprinkled too far in advance, it may discolor the chocolate ganache, so do this right before enjoying. The finished tart will keep well (lightly covered) at room temperature (70 degrees F or lower) for 3-4 days.
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