Salted Caramel Chocolate Ganache Tarts with Cookie Crust

Ingredients:

For the Cookie Crust:

7.5 oz all purpose flour (1.5 cups)

1 oz cocoa powder (1/2 cup)

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp butter (1.25 sticks), at room temperature

2.5 oz confectioner's sugar (1/2 cup)

2 egg yolks

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Salted Caramel:

2.25 cups sugar

1/4 cup water

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 tsp salt

6 tbsp butter, at room temperature

1.5 cups heavy cream

1.5 tsp vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Ganache:

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream

coarse sea salt, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, whisk to combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the egg yolks and vanilla, and mix until combined. Little by little, add the dry ingredients until incorporated. The dough may look crumbly, but it should come together easily when you pinch the dough between two fingers.

Press the dough out into your tart pan. Prick all over with a fork, and pop into the freezer for 10 minutes. Bake for 15 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.

For the caramel, place the sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan, then give it a shake to flatten out the sugar pile. Add the water, corn syrup, and salt, but DO NOT STIR. Cook over medium to medium high heat until the sugar turns clear and dissolves (be patient, this may take 20 minutes, but you don't want to rush caramel or it may burn in a flash). After the sugar has dissolved, it will bubble more vigorously and the sugar mixture will start to take on an amber color. Once it looks caramel colored, stir in the butter. Be careful of potential sputtering. Remove the pan from the heat, and add the heavy cream and vanilla (and again, stand back). Don't worry if the caramel separates. Cook for 10 minutes over medium high heat, stirring with a spatula, until it's smooth and thickened. Pour the caramel into the cooled crust, and refrigerate for about 3 hours, until set.

To make the chocolate ganache, heat the heavy cream to a simmer, then pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for 60 seconds, then stir until smooth. Pour the chocolate ganache over the caramel tart, and refrigerate for a few hours until set.

To serve, cut into slices and garnish with sea salt, if desired. Enjoy!!!

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