A salted caramel chocolate tart is a work of art for Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and there is no better way to celebrate than with something indulgent, say a salted caramel chocolate tart. This make-ahead confection is a work of art that can be made in stages, some ahead of time, making it manageable even for the busiest cook.
An almost bitter chocolate crust cradles a layer of caramel with a hint of saltiness, topped with decadent chocolate ganache. While it looks and sounds fancy, don't let the recipe intimidate you - think of it as a pie with a crust, filling and topping.
The crust is made with unsweetened cocoa. The Dutch-processed variety works best, but if all you have on hand is natural cocoa, don't let that stop you from making this.
There are scientific reasons why one should use the appropriate cocoa stated in a recipe, like acid content and its impact on leavening and flavor. To learn more, check out this information from King Arthur Baking Company at kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2020/07/15/dutch-process-vs-natural-cocoa.
The crust is the first part of the recipe that you can make ahead of time. Like most traditional pie crusts or sugar cookie doughs, this crust needs to be made and then refrigerated before rolling. The dough for the crust can be made several days in advance and refrigerated. I often double the recipe and put the second batch of dough in the freezer tightly wrapped in plastic and a zip-top bag for future tarts.
The crust is "blind baked," or baked empty, using pie weights to help the crust keep its shape. First, poke holes in the bottom of the crust and then line with a piece of parchment paper and top with pie weights (small ceramic or metal balls made especially for this purpose). Dried beans also work. I keep a pound or so of dried beans in an airtight container to use over and over as weights. A tip I have found helpful is first to crumple the parchment paper several times, making it a bit softer and removing any sharp corners that might leave indentations in the raw dough.
The next step is to make the caramel. This can be intimidating as many of us have experienced the gritty side effects of having our caramel seize. I have found a few tips that have helped me make foolproof caramel every time. First, only stir the water and sugar mixture before putting it on the stove to heat. While heating, simply swirl the pan to allow the hot liquid to incorporate anything sticking to the sides of your pan. Stirring during this time is often the culprit to sugar losing moisture and forming crystals on the side of the pan. Second, use a heavy gauge pan that is not dark in color.
It only took me burning one batch of caramel to know my dark pans didn't allow me to see the actual color of the caramel. Once the color of your sugar and water mixture starts to change, it can go from light to burned very quickly. I hope you can learn from my mistake.
There is nothing more luxurious to me in a dessert than fudgy ganache. The day I realized how easy it was to make was memorable. Equal parts of warmed heavy cream and chocolate are melted together to form this velvety-rich substance that can be used as truffle filling or to make any dessert decadent. Depending on the desired texture, some recipes call for adding a little butter or corn syrup. Ideally, ganache should be made with a chopped high-quality chocolate bar. Chocolate chips are not recommended as they are meant to stay in their "chip" form, so the result may take longer to melt and not be as creamy. But I have used my favorite semisweet chips in a pinch.
Lastly, salt. This recipe is specific in using Diamond Kosher salt. I have learned all salt is not created equal and using the wrong variety can ruin your dish. The folks at Bon Appétit use Diamond Kosher salt because they believe it dissolves better than other brands. However, you can substitute, but you must be careful. I found this salt conversion chart (mortonsalt.com/article/salt-conversion-chart/) helpful and have taped it on my pantry wall.
One nonnegotiable is the flaky sea salt, or Fleur de Sel, sprinkled on the top of the tart. Unfortunately, it cannot be substituted with Kosher or table salt.
This tart is the perfect combination of sweet and salty and is almost a candy bar on your plate. And, since it is such an indulgent dessert, it is also good to feed a crowd because you only need a small slice. Add a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a couple of shavings of fresh chocolate to a plated slice before serving, and you have your very own magazine cover-worthy plate.
I topped mine with some fun sprinkles for Valentine's Day, but it is beautiful all by itself and oh so tasty. Enjoy!
• Penny Kazmier, a wife and mother of four from South Barrington, won the 2011 Daily Herald Cook of the Week Challenge. Contact Penny at DhCulinaryAdventures@gmail.com.