Chocolate Caramel Tar

Twix lovers will go nuts for the outrageously decadent Chocolate Caramel Tart made within outrageously delicious homemade caramel! This decadent tart starts with a chocolate crust, then a thick layer of caramel topped with luscious ganache!

I served this amazing Caramel Dessert to some neighbors and they went crazy for it! We had some laughs when one friend was shocked to find out that you could make caramel from scratch instead of unwrapping squares from a bag! Another declared that she never eats desserts but that this was worth every bite (and calorie!).

Chocolate Caramel Tart

Back in 2014, when I saw this tart recipe from Saveur magazine in my in-box, I knew it was only a matter of time before I made it. One of the on-line reviewers called it a gourmet Twix bar…and I tend to agree. This is a slightly advanced recipe since it involves making caramel from scratch, but I’ve added some tips below to help you out.

Thank goodness my youngest is as much of a caramel fan as I am, so I made it for his 21st birthday celebration and took it down to campus for an early birthday dinner.

We took Nick and his roomies out for a steak and we all were full to the brim by the end of the meal. We walked back to his apartment and sampled a few bites of this caramel dessert despite our sated bellies. Again, worth every calorie!

Tips for Making the Homemade Caramel Filling

Oh, my heavens. This is one of the best desserts I’ve made. A lovely chocolate cookie-like crust, a thick layer of homemade vanilla caramel topped with chocolate ganache. Total bliss.

When we celebrated Nick’s birthday, all seven of us shared one piece. I restrained myself and didn’t ask for a doggy bag. Good girl. But when I remade it a few weeks ago, I had my own slice. Heaven on a plate.

More Holiday Dessert Recipes

Here are a few more recipes for any special occasion. If my children could actually bake, I’d ask them to make this Chocolate Caramel Tart for me for my birthday or Mother’s Day. It’s just that scrumptious. I also love these Brown Sugar Caramels. But if an upscale chocolate Twix tart doesn’t appeal to you, I have a feeling that one of these delicious desserts will tickle your fancy.

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Chocolate Caramel Tart

A decadent pie with a chocolate crust, caramel filling and ganache topping. Adapted from Saveur.

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Yield 12 servings

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 10 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the caramel:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon crème fraiche
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

For the ganache:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Make the crust: Heat oven to 350º. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. With a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy, then mix in yolks and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients. Press the dough into the bottom and up sides of a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Prick the bottom and sides of tart with a fork and bake for 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature on a rack.
2. Make the caramel: In a large saucepan, whisk together sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 6 tablespoons of water and bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 340º and is a medium amber. You may swirl the pan briefly to avoid hot spots (if one area is browning before the rest).
3. Remove pan from heat and whisk in butter, cream, and crème fraîche (the mixture will bubble up) until smooth. Pour caramel into the cooled tart shell and let cool slightly, then refrigerate until firm, 4–5 hours (may hurry along by popping into the freezer for a short time).
4. Make the ganache: Bring cream to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Put chocolate into a medium bowl and pour in hot cream; let sit for a minute or two, then whisk till smooth. Pour ganache over the cooled tart and refrigerate until set, 4–5 hours. Slice and serve chilled.

Notes

Total time does not include chilling times.

This is a very rich dessert and can serve up to 12 with small slices.

Cut with a hot, dry knife just before serving.

The Saveur recipe had a sprinkling of sea salt over the ganache if you'd like to try that.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 646Total Fat: 39gSaturated Fat: 24gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 139mgSodium: 334mgCarbohydrates: 74gFiber: 2gSugar: 54gProtein: 5g