Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Tart

If you are after a special dessert, you can't go past a Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Tart. It has a lovely chocolate pastry shell, a filling of chocolate ganache, and is topped with a delicious layer of caramel and macadamias. It is extra scrumptious when served with a vanilla bean ice-cream.

Sarah baked this wonderful treat for a special dinner with extended family visiting from the UK. She adapted Martha Stewart's recipe for Chocolate Macadamia Tartlets. It was absolutely delicious!

Pastry (Pate Sucree Chocolat)

Ingredients

• 1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons (3 ounces ) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1-2 tablespoons cold heavy cream or ice water

Directions

1. Pulse flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Add yolk, vanilla and 1 tablespoon water/cream, and process until mixture just begins to hold together (no longer than 30 seconds). If dough is too dry, add remaining water/cream.
2. Shape dough into a disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Tart

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, halved
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons glucose syrup (light corn syrup)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of coarse salt, preferably sea salt
• 230 g (8 ounces) dark (bittersweet) chocolate, finely chopped

1 quantity of pastry (Pate Sucree Chocolat)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees C (375 degrees F). Place dough on a piece of parchment; roll out in a rectangle to 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet; chill 10 minutes. Remove from refrigerator. Line a 35 x 13 cm (approx 14 x 5 inch) tart pan with removable bottom with pastry, pressing into corners. Prick bottom of tart all over with a fork. Chill at least 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, spread nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside.
3. Remove tart shell from refrigerator; line with parchment, pressing into edges. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Place on a baking sheet; bake 20 minutes. Remove paper and beans; continue baking until crust is firm, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Make caramel: In a small saucepan, bring sugar, glucose syrup, and the water to a boil over medium-high heat; wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystals from forming. Reduce heat to low; cook, swirling pan to color evenly, until caramel is a rich amber color. Remove from heat; carefully add 1/4 cup cream (it will spatter), butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir until smooth. Let cool slightly; stir in nuts.
5. Make ganache: Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring remaining 3/4 cup cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.  
6. Spread ganache in cooked pastry shell; spread to coat evenly. Chill until set, about 10 minutes. Remove from refrigerator; pour caramel into shell. 
7. Store tart in fridge until ready to serve.

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