Pie It Forward: Chocolate Fleur de Sel Caramel Tart

Then this arrived in my mailbox.

In my defense I did rock the truffles. Oh, did I mention there are chocolate truffles on the top? Yes, just when you think caramel in a chocolate crust couldn’t get any better, along comes a truffle.

Chocolate Fleur de Sel Caramel Tart
From Pie It Forward by Gesine Bullock-Prado. Reprinted with permission from Abram Books

This is a sophisticated candy bar wrapped up in tart’s clothing. It features caramel that leaves ropy tendrils behind after you’ve taken a bite. And while you can use a fork, I have to tell you it’s so much easier to pick up your slice to convey it to your mandibles.

MAKES 1
(8-inch/20-cm) tart

For the crust

Chocolate Cookie Tart Crust (recipe below)  1/2 batch

Soft Caramel Filling (recipe below) 1 batch

For the truffles

heavy cream ¾ cup; 177 ml
unsalted butter 2 tablespoons; 28 g
salt pinch
corn syrup (optional) 1 tablespoon; 15 ml
bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 8 ounces; 225 g
cocoa powder 1/4 cup; 20 g

For the assembly

large-grain fleur de sel (sea salt) 1/2 teaspoon; 2.5 g

Procedure for the crust

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line an 8-inch (20-cm) tart pan with
the dough. Dock and freeze it for 20 minutes. Line the crust with parchment, fill it with pie weights, and bake it for 15 minutes. Remove the pie weights and parchment and bake the crust for 15 minutes more, or until
the bottom is golden brown and baked through. Allow it to cool.

2. Prepare the caramel filling as instructed on page 36 and pour it into the cooled crust. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Procedure for the truffles

1. In a small, heavy saucepan, simmer together the cream, butter, salt, and corn syrup, if using, making sure the butter melts completely. Take the pan from the heat and add the chocolate. Allow it to sit for a few minutes undisturbed, then whisk the mixture until the glaze emulsifies and all the chocolate melts. Cover and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

2. Using a melon scoop, a teaspoon-sized cookie scoop, or a teaspoon, form small rounds of ganache and roll them into balls with your hands. Roll the truffles in cocoa powder to coat them evenly.

Assembly

1. Place the truffles around the perimeter of the tart, sprinkle fleur de sel over all, and serve at room temperature.

Chocolate Cookie Tart Crust

This is a scrumptious and elegant chocolate tart dough. The key is using the right cocoa powder. You can’t go with your grocery-store variety of anemic cocoa. No, sir. I’ll know if you use it, too. You must use a high-quality, very dark cocoa: Cacao Barry or Valrhona are excellent choices. For this one, I use Cacao Barry Extra Brute. You’ll thank me later.

Makes enough dough for 2 (8-inch/20-cm) tarts,
8 (4-inch/10-cm) tarts, or 16 mini tarts

eggs 2
sweetened condensed milk  2 tablespoons; 30 ml
brewed coffee, cooled   2 tablespoons; 30 ml
all-purpose flour, cold 1 1/2 cups; 185 g
cocoa powder 1/2 cup; 40 g
sugar 3/4 cup; 150 g
instant espresso powder 1 tablespoon; 3 g
salt 1 teaspoon; 6 g
unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled ¾ cup; 180 g

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, condensed milk, and coffee.

2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse together the flour, cocoa, sugar,
espresso powder (if using), and salt.

3. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles course cornmeal. While pulsing, add the liquid ingredients, and continue until the dough just holds together when you press it with your fingers.

4. Turn the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Form it into a flat disk, cover it completely with the plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes.

Soft Caramel Filling

Makes approximately 2 cups (480 ml)

sugar 1 cup; 200 g
corn syrup 1/4 cup; 60 ml
salt 1 teaspoon; 6 g
unsalted butter 2 tablespoons; 28 g

1. In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, ⅓ cup (75 ml) water, the corn syrup, and salt and cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until the sugar has melted.

2. Brush down the sides of the pan with a damp pastry brush to eradicate any errant sugar crystals.

3. Stop stirring, increase the heat to medium-high, and clip on a candy thermometer. Heat the sugar syrup to
245 degrees F (120 degrees C).

4. Once the syrup has reached temperature, take the pan off the heat and carefully add the butter and cream. The mixture will bubble vigorously at first. Stand back and let the hot sugar do its molten dance. When the syrup has calmed, stir until the butter has completely melted. Add the vanilla and stir again. Pour the caramel immediately into your pastry vessel (or other vessel) of choice and allow it to cool and set completely, 1 to 2 hours.

Pie It Forward day was 3/14, but you can still download Gesine’s Wild Blueberry Pie recipe and watch the video to get a few inside tips!