This Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart is an indulgent dessert featuring a rich buttery almond crust, gooey salted caramel filling, and a decadent bittersweet chocolate ganache. Topped with sea salt flakes, it’s a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and bitter, making it irresistible. It’s a great dessert for any occasion that will definitely impress your guests.

Full Recipe:

Ingredients

For the Almond Chocolate Sweet Pastry:

• 1 ¼ cups (160g) flour

• ¼ cup (30g) ground almonds

• ¼ cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder

• ¼ cup (50g) sugar

• ¼ tsp salt

• 1 stick (110g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 egg

• 1-2 tbsp ice water

For the Caramel:

• 1 ½ cups (300g) sugar

• ½ cup water

• ½ cup (120g) heavy cream

• 5 tbsp (70g) unsalted butter

• 1 tsp salt

For the Chocolate Ganache:

• ½ cup (120g) heavy cream

• 4 oz (120g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

1. Prepare the Sweet Pastry:

   • In a large bowl, mix flour, ground almonds, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt.

   • Incorporate butter into the mixture using a pastry blender or fork until the mixture resembles crumbs.

   • Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing them in. Slowly add the ice water and form a dough.

   • Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, shape it into a disc, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

2. Roll the Dough:

   • On a floured surface, roll the dough into a circle about 1 ½ inches larger than your tart pan.

   • Place the rolled dough into the tart pan, remove the edges, and refrigerate for another 30 minutes.

3. Bake the Crust:

   • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

   • Prick the dough with a fork, line it with parchment paper, and fill it with dry beans or pie weights.

   • Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment paper, then bake for another 10-15 minutes. Allow it to cool.

4. Prepare the Caramel:

   • In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, cook sugar and water without stirring until the sugar dissolves and turns caramel in color.

   • Remove from heat and carefully add the cream, stirring constantly until smooth.

   • Stir in butter and salt, mixing until fully combined. Let it cool slightly and pour over the cooled tart crust. Refrigerate for 4-5 hours.

5. Make the Chocolate Ganache:

   • Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it begins to boil at the edges.

   • Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for one minute. Stir until smooth.

   • Pour the ganache over the caramel layer and spread it evenly. Refrigerate for another 2-3 hours.

6. Serve:

   • Once the tart is fully set, sprinkle with sea salt flakes and serve.

Nutrients (per serving)

• Calories: 560 kcal

• Carbohydrates: 69.7g

• Protein: 5.4g

• Fat: 31g

  • Saturated Fat: 18.7g

• Cholesterol: 94mg

• Sodium: 290mg

• Potassium: 320mg

• Fiber: 3g

• Sugar: 51.4g

• Vitamin A: 10% DV

• Vitamin C: 1% DV

• Calcium: 2% DV

• Iron: 10% DV

This is an approximate calculation, and the actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used.

The Almond Chocolate Sweet Pastry: A Nutty, Rich Base

The almond chocolate sweet pastry serves as the foundation of this tart, providing a rich, nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with the caramel and chocolate layers. The ground almonds add a lovely depth of flavor to the crust, making it more complex than a traditional pastry. The cocoa powder gives it a subtle chocolate taste that ties into the tart’s overall theme.

The pastry is buttery and crumbly, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture that holds up well under the weight of the caramel and ganache. After mixing the dry ingredients, the butter is incorporated into the dough using a pastry blender or fork, creating a crumbly texture. The egg and vanilla extract bring everything together, while a bit of ice water helps form the dough.

Once wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated, the dough is rested to ensure it’s firm and easy to roll out. After chilling, it’s rolled into a circle, fit into the tart pan, and baked until golden and crisp.

The Salted Caramel Filling: Sweet, Rich, and Lusciously Smooth

The salted caramel filling is the star of this tart, offering a luscious sweetness with just the right amount of savory contrast. To make the caramel, sugar and water are cooked together until the sugar dissolves and turns into a rich amber caramel. The addition of heavy cream gives the caramel its smooth texture, while butter adds richness and depth.

The salt brings out the caramel’s sweetness while balancing the richness of the other components of the tart. This caramel is poured over the cooled tart crust and left to chill for several hours, allowing it to set to a perfect, gooey consistency that complements the crunchy pastry.

The Chocolate Ganache: Rich and Velvety

The ganache is a simple yet luxurious chocolate layer that adds a bittersweet contrast to the sweetness of the caramel. Made by combining hot heavy cream with chopped bittersweet chocolate, the ganache becomes velvety and smooth as the cream melts the chocolate. This layer is poured over the set caramel and spread evenly, creating a beautiful, glossy finish.

Once refrigerated, the ganache firms up, providing a satisfying bite with every slice. The bittersweet chocolate adds depth to the overall dessert and helps balance the richness of the caramel and the buttery crust.

Assembling the Tart: Layering for Perfection

Assembling this tart is a relatively straightforward process, but it’s all about timing and allowing each layer to set before adding the next. Here’s how to assemble the tart:

1. Prepare the Crust: First, make the almond chocolate pastry and bake it until golden brown. This step ensures that the crust is crisp and able to hold the other layers without becoming soggy.

2. Add the Caramel: Once the crust is cooled, prepare the salted caramel filling and pour it over the crust. Refrigerate the tart for several hours to allow the caramel to set.

3. Prepare the Ganache: While the caramel is setting, make the chocolate ganache and pour it over the caramel once it’s firm. Spread it evenly and refrigerate the tart until the ganache is fully set.

4. Garnish and Serve: Just before serving, sprinkle the tart with sea salt flakes to enhance the sweet and salty flavors, adding a touch of sophistication and contrast.

Serving Suggestions: A Perfect Dessert for Any Occasion

Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart is perfect for any special occasion or gathering. Its elegant layers and rich flavors make it an impressive dessert that’s sure to steal the show. It’s rich enough to be served in small slices, allowing your guests to savor every bite.

This tart pairs beautifully with a cup of coffee or tea, making it a great choice for a dessert after dinner. For a refreshing contrast, you could also serve it with a side of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, which will complement the richness of the tart without overpowering it.

Nutritional Information: Decadent but Balanced

Each serving of Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart contains about 576 calories, making it a rich indulgence for a dessert. It’s packed with 31g of fat, including 18.7g of saturated fat, due to the butter and cream in both the crust and filling. However, it also contains 5.4g of protein, thanks to the eggs, almonds, and other ingredients.

The tart has 69.7g of carbohydrates, with 3g of fiber, which helps balance the overall sugar content (51.4g per serving). While high in sugar, the complex flavors of the caramel and chocolate help make this a dessert that’s satisfying in small portions. The tart also provides 10% of your daily vitamin A and 15% of your daily iron needs, offering some nutritional value despite being a rich treat.

Conclusion: A Luxurious Dessert for Every Occasion

Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart is a showstopper dessert that combines all the right flavors and textures for a decadent indulgence. From the buttery almond chocolate crust to the gooey salted caramel filling and smooth chocolate ganache, every bite is a harmonious blend of sweet, salty, and bitter. The simple process of making the tart results in a sophisticated dessert that’s perfect for impressing guests or treating yourself to something extraordinary.

Whether served for a special occasion or as a sweet finish to a meal, this tart will undoubtedly become a favorite. It’s a luxurious dessert that’s well worth the effort, making it a must-try for any dessert lover.