Caramel Chocolate Nut Tart

In December our book group met together at someone's house for dinner. When given my food assignment, I was told to bring "something chocolate" I have been wanting to try this recipe for a long time. Even though it looks complicated, it isn't, and the results are amazing. You can only eat a small sliver of this at one time because it is so rich and decadent.

Caramel Chocolate Nut Tart

CRUST

½ c. butter, softened

⅔ c. sugar

⅓ c. cocoa

1 egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla

1 c. flour

FILLING

2 c. sugar

½ c. water

¼ c. corn syrup

½ c. whipping cream

½ c. butter, cut up

½ tsp. vanilla

GANACHE

6 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

I used 4 oz. because the package came in that size

¾ c. whipping cream

broken salted cashews

Preheat oven to 350°

For crust: In a large bowl, beat butter for 30 sec. Beat in ⅔ c. sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add cocoa until blended. Add egg yolk, vanilla and mix well. Beat in flour. Pat dough onto bottom and up sides of a tart pan with a removable bottom. Generously prick bottom and sides with a fork. Bake for 18-25 min or until dry and tiny blisters appear on the bottom. Cool in pan.

Filling: In a large saucepan, combine the 2 c. sugar, water and corn syrup: Cook over med-hi heat, swirling pan often for 12-15 minutes or until syrup is dark amber in color (mine took longer). Remove from heat. Carefully whisk in the cream, butter and vanilla. Mixture will sputter and pop. Continue whisking until perfectly smooth. Pour immediately into tart shell. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until caramel is set, but not firm.

For ganache topping: place chocolate in a medium bowl. In a saucepan bring the cream to boiling. Pour immediately over chocolate, do not stir. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, then whisk until perfectly smooth. Carefully pour warm ganache topping over tart. Cover loosely; chill overnight. Remove sides of pan and let stand at room temperature for 10 minuets. Garnish with salted cashews.

This recipe called for a 10” tart pan but mine is 11” and there was plenty of dough. I can’t see any reason why you couldn’t make it in a pie pan, but I don’t think you would want to use all of your dough because it might not cook through. (I don’t know if it would be enough to put in two smaller pie tins) A tart pan just makes a pretty presentation because you remove it from the pan.