Gooey chocolate and caramel tart with walnuts

Hello my wonderful friends! Are there any chocolate lovers among you?
I swear I can hear several loud “YEEESSS”! Well… then I have a good news for all of us — we’re going to wrap up tarts month with a gooey chocolate and caramel treat.

This guy is rich in flavor and über chocolate-y. He is a strict follower of “melts in your mouth” rule. He likes strong black coffee in the morning and dark rum at night. His style is elegant and snazzy. His work is respectable and marvel. He is a man of manners. And he is alone…

Do you want to become his friend?

For the dough:

250 g flour
150 g cold butter, cut into pieces
95 g powdered sugar
3 g salt
30 g almond flour (unblanched in this case, but both works well)
50 g whole egg (1 egg usually does the job)

To make dough follow instructions from Cooper’s recipe. You’ll need half of the recipe to make one tart, 20 cm in diameter.

For the spreadable caramel:
the recipe is adapted from Sugar Rush book

160 g heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
130 g sugar
12 g agave syrup
30 g water
40 g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

In a heavy bottom saucepan warm heavy cream and vanilla extract, do not boil.

In another pan place sugar, agave syrup and water and put the pan over medium-high heat. Cook until sugar is completely melted and begins to boil. Do not stir the mixture, instead swirl the pan for even cooking. Continue to heat mixture until it becomes deep brown in color. Remove the pan from the heat and add 1/3 of warm heavy cream to the pan. The mixture will bubble, so be careful. Add the remaining cream to the sugar mixture and return the pan to the stove, reduce heat to low. Whisk well to dissolve any sugar lumps.

Remove the pan from the heat and start to add pieces of butter, stirring well before adding next portion. Transfer caramel to a clean bowl and let it cool for 1-2 hours.

For the chocolate-caramel ganache:
the recipe is adapted from Sugar Rush book

95 g unsweetened chocolate, chopped
95 g bittersweet chocolate (72% cacao), chopped
80 g heavy cream
55 g unsalted butter
130 g sugar
12 g agave syrup
20 g water
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and set it over a pan of simmering water, make sure that the bottom of the pan doesn’t touch water. Stir chocolate until it completely melts, remove the pan from the heat and let it sit until just warm.

In a small saucepan warm heavy cream and butter on low heat, do not boil.

In another heavy bottom saucepan combine sugar, agave syrup and water. Cook over medium-high heat until sugar is completely melted and begins to boil. Do not stir the mixture, instead swirl the pan for even cooking. Continue to heat mixture until it becomes deep brown in color, it will take about 6-8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add 1/3 of warm heavy cream and butter to the pan. The mixture will bubble, so be careful. Add the remaining cream to the sugar mixture and return the pan to the stove, reduce heat to low. Whisk well to dissolve any sugar lumps, until very smooth. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, place eggs and vanilla extract in a bowl of stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed until eggs become foam and start to thicken. Low the mixer speed and gradually pour warm caramel into the egg foam, poring it directly on the eggs. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip for about 5 minutes. Low the mixer speed and slowly add warm chocolate, mix until well combined.

Transfer the chocolate-caramel ganache to a large pastry bag with a round tip. Pipe the chocolate mixture into a completely cooled tart shell. Let sit for 5 minutes. Put spreadable caramel into another pastry bag with a small round tip and pipe it in an even spiral, leaving room to chocolate to show up.

Let the tart stand for 1 hour at the room temperature. Then transfer it to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

For the garnish:

2 tbsp sugar
20 g walnuts, cut into pieces

In a small pan heat sugar until completely dissolves. Quickly add pieces of walnuts and stir so nuts are evenly covered with caramel. Transfer walnuts to a piece of parchment paper and let them cool.

Remove the tart from the fridge and decorate with caramelized walnuts. Let it sit for 1 hour to come to the room temperature. Slice with a warm dry knife and enjoy with a cup of black coffee.

Do you guys like the idea of full month dedicated to one dough in different variations?
Let me know your thoughts!

xoxo, Natalie