Chocolate and Salted Caramel Tart

This tart is super rich – you only need the tiniest slither to indulge yourself.  I made this on the same day that I attempted my whoopie pies, which worked out great as this recipe uses up the egg yolks that were left over from the pies.





Pastry:
1 ⅓ cups plain flour
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
100g unsalted butter, chopped
3 egg yolks
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Salted Caramel:
1 cup caster sugar
125g salted butter, chopped
⅓ cup pure cream
¼ teaspoon salt flakes

Chocolate Topping:
140g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped
1 teaspoon canola oil

Place flour, sugar and cocoa in a food processor.  Add butter and process until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Add egg yolks and vanilla and process until a dough forms.  Shape into a disc, then wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200°C.  Roll out pastry on a lightly floured bench (or between two sheets of baking paper), then ease into a 20cm loose-based tart tin.  Trim the edges and chill for at least 15 minutes.  Bake the tart base for 12 minutes, or until pastry looks dry and cooked.  Check out here for some more tips on making short crust pastry.

To make the salted caramel, dissolve the sugar in ⅓ cup of water in a saucepan on a low heat.  Increase the heat to high, bring to the boil and cook for 10 – 12 minutes, until the mixture turns light toffee in colour.  Add butter and stir until the mixture comes together and comes away from the sides of the pan.  Turn off the heat and stir in half the cream.  When the bubbles subside, stir in the remaining cream and salt flakes.  Pour into the pastry case bake bake for 12 minutes, until set.  Cool completely.

To make the chocolate topping, melt the chocolate and oil in a double boiler and stir until smooth.  Spread the chocolate over the caramel tart and refrigerate until set.

I put together a little video of the tart being made.  It is my first attempt at making a video ever, so thank you Simon for pointing out the basics to me :)