[ RECIPE ] Chocolate Caramel Tart

As we’re in the Indulgent season I thought I’d share this latest baking creation with you guys. Although we work hard towards our goals all year round, there’s no reason why we can’t enjoy ourselves from time to time, especially during the festive period in which many of us get to share with our family and friends.

This is potentially the best item we’ve made whilst baking. It’s a Chocolate Caramel Tart that contains a beautiful layer of thick, fudgy chocolate with a gooey layer of caramel beneath it. It can be on the rich side so you may wish to serve it with some fruit and extra creme fraiche to your guests. They will be impressed though!

For the recipe, as I am still new to the baking process I bought the shortcrust pastry, however if you have made it before there’s no need to buy this ingredient. I will soon be learning this technique as it can be extremely useful for the future. 

500g x Shortcrust Pastry pack

150g x Unsalted Butter
397g x Can Condensed Milk
100ml x Golden Syrup
Pinch of Table Salt

For the Chocolate Layer
100g x Bar Plain Chocolate
60g x Unsalted Butter
3 tbsp x Cocoa Powder
1 tsp x Vanilla Extract
2 x Large Eggs
100g x Caster Sugar
2 tbsp x Creme Fraiche (we used half fat)

Icing Sugar (for dusting on top)

Serves: 8-12

First, roll out the pastry onto a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin with a light touch. Once the pastry is about 3mm thick, line a 23cm flan tin with it. Carefully ensure all the edges are properly filled. Leave to chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.

If you are using a fan-assisted oven, pre-heat to 180C (conventional 200C/Gas Mark 6) and add a baking tray to heat up. Remove the flan tin from the fridge and very lightly prick it with a folk to stop the middle rising. Scrunch up some greaseproof or baking paper and spread it over the middle of the flan tin (this helps it get right into the edges). Add baking beans or enough rice onto the paper.

Add the flan tin onto the baking tray and blind bake for 15 minutes. Then remove the paper and beans or rice and cook for a further 5 minutes. The pastry should be lightly golden but don’t worry if it is slightly darker at the sides. Remove the flan tin from the oven and reduce the temperature to 160C for fan-assisted (180C for conventional).

For the caramel layer, melt the butter over a low-heat in a medium-sized saucepan and then add the can of condensed milk, along with the syrup and salt. Continually stir the mixture to prevent it burning and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the mixture directly to the pastry case, ensuring there’s enough room for the chocolate layer above.

For the chocolate layer, break up the chocolate into small pieces and add to a glass bowl along with the butter. Place the glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, ensuring the bowl and the water do not touch. Once it has melted, add the cocoa powder and vanilla extract then stir to combine.

In a separate bowl using a wooden spoon, beat together the eggs and sugar, then the creme fraiche. Slowly fold in the melted chocolate mixture into this bowl and once it has fully combined, add to the pastry case ensuring the layer doesn’t go above the case itself. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the chocolate layer has set, then leave to cool. Dust with icing sugar and serve with more creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream and fruit.