Chocolate Caramel-Almond Tart

By kathryns

Chocolate is chilled overnight and caramel needs to cool for 30 minutes. SEE RECIPE FOR BASIC CARAMEL in Soups and Sauces

Ingredients

• 4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for rolling the dough
• 3 Tbs. granulated sugar
• Pinch of table salt
• 3 oz. (6 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup blanched whole almonds (slivered almonds work as well)
• 1 recipe Basic Caramel
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 oz. (2 Tbs.) unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. table salt
• 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 oz. (1 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• Lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Make the crust: Put the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter pieces and pulse until the mixture is the texture of coarse meal with some pea-size butter pieces, 5 to 7 one-second pulses. Sprinkle 2 Tbs. ice-cold water over the flour mixture and process until the dough just begins to come together in small, marble-size clumps. Don't overprocess; the dough should not form a ball.

Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.

Make the caramel-almond layer

Make the caramel according to the directions.

Immediately remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the heavy cream. The mixture will bubble up furiously. Once the bubbling has subsided, add the butter and stir until completely melted. Whisk in the vanilla, salt, and almonds until the nuts are completely coated.

Pour the hot caramel mixture into the cooled tart shell, using a heatproof spatula to scrape the pot clean and distribute the nuts evenly in the shell. Let cool for 30 minutes and then refrigerate until the caramel is completely chilled, about 1 hour.

Make the chocolate layer

Put the chocolate and cream in a small saucepan over low heat and stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Pour over the caramel layer and tilt the pan as needed to smooth the chocolate into an even layer that covers the caramel. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Serve the tart with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if you like.