Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

Perfectly balanced, and the ultimate showstopping dessert for any occasion, this salted caramel chocolate tart is layered with crunch, oozing salted caramel and truffle-y rich chocolate ganache. The butter in the pastry and the ganache adds short crispness, and subtle richness respectively, and the slightly salted flavour prevents the tart from tasting too sweet. Don’t be tempted to scrimp on the chilling time which does make this easier to slice once set.

For the pastry

250g plainwhite flour

100g icing sugar, sieved

3 tbsps cocoa powder

120g cold Ivy’s Reserve Salted butter, cubed

1 egg

Up to 2 tbsps ice cold water

For the ganache

200g thick salted caramel spread, we like the one from Halen Môn

300ml double cream

250g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids), cut into 1cm chunks

50g milk chocolate, cut into 1cm chunks

40g Ivy’s Reserve salted butter, cut into 1 cm cubes

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp dark rum

To make the pastry, tip the flour, cocoa and icing sugar into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine and break up any lumps. Add the butter and pulse again until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Break the egg in and pulse until combined. If the mixture doesn’t hold together when you pinch it between your fingers, add a tablespoon of cold water at a time until it does. Transfer to a work surface, bring together into a disc, then wrap in clingfilm or a sealable bag and transfer to the chill to fridge for at least 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven 180C/160 fan. Butter a 23cm loose bottomed fluted tart tin. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface until it’s about 1/2cm thick. Lay the rolled pastry over the tart tin – don’t worry if there are cracks or breaks in the pastry; simply patch over with the excess hanging over the sides. Trim around the edge with a sharp knife – any extra pastry can be used to make individual tarts or little biscuits to eat with ice cream. Prick the base of the pastry with the prongs of a fork. Crumple a piece of parchment that will easily fit over the pastry, then lay over the top and fill to the brim with baking beans. Slide the tart case into the oven to bake for 20 minutes, then lift away the parchment and beans and return to case to the oven to cook the base for another 7 minutes. Remove from the oven to cool.

Once the pastry is cool to the touch, pour in the salted caramel spread and transfer to the freezer to set.

Meanwhile, heat the cream in a saucepan with at least 5cm space at the top of the pan. When bubbles begin to form at the side of the pan, but before it boils, remove from the heat and quickly tip in both chopped chocolates. Leave for a minute, then whisk until thick, glossy and smooth. Next, add the butter, and whisk in the cubes, one at a time, waiting until no lumps are visible before whisking in the next. Once all the butter is incorporated, mix in the vanilla, rum and whisk to combine.

Remove the tart case from the freezer. Pour over the chocolate ganache, then transfer to the fridge to set for at least 3 hours, or overnight. Just before serving, sprinkle with flaky salt.

Use a sharp knife to slice the tart into pieces, and serve the tart on its own, or alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream.