Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

This is an awesome company dessert because it looks all fancy (but it's not difficult), and it has to be made ahead of time.  

We cut this recipe out of Saveur magazine so long ago I can't even remember the year.  It says that the recipe originally comes from Marlow & Sons.  We modified it very slightly for the ingredients that are available here.

(Sorry for the phone picture, it is prettier than this in real life.  We were in a hurry to get to a friend's.  To eat this, obviously.)

Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

Serves 8

Be aware: You MUST start this recipe the day before serving, or at least 12-ish hours ahead.  The tart has to cool for several hours between each step.  

Kitchen Equipment Needed: Mixer (handheld or stand), bowls, pans, 9" tart pan with removable bottom (although mine is 11" inches, and it works just fine.  I think you could also use a 9" pie pan here), candy thermometer (or other digital food thermometer that measures up to 365.  Mine is not a candy thermometer, and it works just fine), random spatulas

For the crust:

1 1/2 c flour

1/4 c plus 1 T dutch unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 t kosher salt (kosher salt and table salt are not the same thing, FYI)

10 T unsalted butter, cubed and softened

1/2 c plus 2 T confectioners' sugar

2 egg yolks, room temp

1/2 t vanilla

For the caramel:

1 1/2 c sugar

3 T light corn syrup

1/4 t kosher salt

6 T unsalted butter

6 T heavy cream

1 T sour cream

For the ganache:

1/2 c heavy cream

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (better chocolate is better here)

Sea salt, gray if you can find it, or just coarse flakes if you cannot

Step 1: Make the Crust

Heat oven to 350.  Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until mixture is pale and fluffy; mix in egg yolks and vanilla.  Combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  Mix dry ingredients into wet until a dough is formed.  Transfer dough to a 9" fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and press dough evenly into bottom and sides of pan.  Prick the tart shell all over with a fork and bake until cooked through, about 20 minutes.  Transfer the entire pan to a rack and let cool.

Step 2: Make the Caramel

In a saucepan, whisk together sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 6 T water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  After it comes up to a boil, cook without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 365.  (Don't use a spoon, but you can swirl the pan during this time to mix gently).  Do not walk away, especially toward the end.  The difference between caramel and burnt sugar is about ten seconds.  Ask me how I know.

Remove the pan from heat and whisk in butter, cream, and sour cream (the mixture will bubble up) until smooth.  Pour caramel into cooled tart shell and let cool slightly.  Refrigerate until firm, 4-5 hours.

Step 3: Make the Ganache

Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Put chocolate into a medium bowl and pour in the hot cream; let sit for 1 minute, and then stir slowly with a rubber spatula until smooth.  Pour ganache evenly over tart and refrigerate until set, 4-5 hours.  Sprinkle sparsely with sea salt, slice, and serve chilled.

This isn't diet food, in case you were wondering.