Pure Indulgence – Tiny Pieces Please!

When the weather turns chilly I start to crave food that probably doesn’t do me any favours. Particularly sweets. And namely …..chocolate! A little bit in moderation is very good for you (see  Double Chocolate Chip Cookies). But really, my Rustic Caramel and Chocolate Ganache Tart is pure indulgence best shared with a few to minimise the damage!

The filling in Rustic Caramel and Chocolate Tart is sweet and oozing with deliciousness that many won’t resist. I say many because I do know people who would say no to a slice because of the calorie content but they are in the minority. But really, this tart is perfect to share with family and friends for a celebration served with good coffee or tea.

Pure Indulgence Rustic Caramel and Chocolate Ganache Tart

Rustic ok? It’s not haute cuisine…

It is as the name suggests a rustic tart with its roughly chopped nuts on top. I like dressing the tart with roasted almonds because of the crunchy contrast they provide to the chocolate ganache and caramel. An alternative to almonds would be roasted hazelnuts with the skins rubbed off and chopped.  I do love hazelnuts and chocolate too! The caramel is a cheat’s caramel using condensed milk, golden syrup and butter. We recently made proper caramel. However we decided cheats caramel is our preference because it is not so sticky on the teeth and doesn’t go hard when refrigerated.

Inherited Love of Baking

Just as an aside, my grandmother was a purist and would never have made caramel with condensed milk preferring instead to caramelise a bucket load of sugar instead.  She also made this tart with meringue on top.  She was quite the baker and I find her fervour for producing amazing baked treats great inspiration,

The shortbread base is light and moreish and it doesn’t need to be rolled really thin.  It creates a beautiful biscuity base for the filling.

So if you need a treat to share and you love chocolate and caramel in the same sentence then this tart is for you. Do let me know how it goes for you and whether it was as well received as it was when I served it recently.

Pure Indulgence, make this Rustic Caramel and Chocolate Ganache Tart

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Rustic Caramel and Chocolate Ganache Tart

A gooey, oozy caramel and chocolate tart that is best shared around because it is really quite wicked!

Course Dessert

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 10

Author Jane Georgiades

Ingredients

Pastry

• 1 egg
• 75 g icing sugar
• 250 g plain flour
• 180 g butter

Caramel

• 75 g butter
• 1/4 cup golden syrup
• 1 400g tin sweetened condensed milk

Chocolate Ganache

• 400 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
• 1 1/4 cups pouring cream
• 3 tbsp almonds or hazlenuts (skins removed) chopped

Instructions

Pastry

1. Blitz the flour and butter in a food processor until like breadcrumbs. Combine egg and icing sugar. Add to flour mixture until it just starts to come together as dough. Roll out between two sheets of baking paper. Lay into a 24cm flan tin (with a removable base). Refrigerate for 30 minutes then bake with pastry weights at 180°C for 15 minutes. Remove pastry weights and bake for a further 5 minutes until becoming golden. Allow to cool

Chocolate Ganache

1. Chop or grate chocolate until in fine pieces. Heat cream until hot but not boiling and pour over chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted.

Caramel

1. Melt butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan. Add condensed milk and stir until boiling and starting to change colour to golden. Remove from heat.

Assembly

1. Poor warm ganache in tart case. Allow to set in fridge for 30 minutes. Then pour over caramel. Garnish with chopped nuts of your choice.

   Savour every crumb!

Rustic Caramel and Chocolate Ganache Tart