Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tartlet Filling Recipes

Steps:

• Crust: Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt until combined. Beat butter with confectioners' sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk and beat until combined. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined and crumbly (do not overmix). Pat dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 2 days, or freeze up to 1 month.
• On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Fit into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. With a paring knife, trim dough flush with rim; refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes.
• Blind-bake crust: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prick bottom of tart all over with a fork. Bake until set and dough is dry, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Filling: Combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring gently, until sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook, without stirring, until syrup comes to a boil, occasionally washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Cook until syrup is amber in color, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Carefully add heavy cream (caramel will steam and spatter). Add butter, vanilla, salt, and chocolate; stir until melted and smooth. Add pecans; stir until combined. Transfer mixture to tart crust. Let stand until set and cool, about 2 hours. Tart can be served room-temperature or refrigerated, uncovered, up to 3 days. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes and sprinkle with flaky salt before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Unfold dough on lightly floured parchment. Roll out into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle, about 10 by 15 inches. Transfer dough on parchment to a baking sheet. Fold edges in to form a 1-inch border. Pierce bottom of shell with a fork. Brush border with egg wash; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Bake shell until puffed and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Press down on bottom with an offset spatula to flatten (leave border puffy). Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Combine granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan; cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook, without stirring, until syrup comes to a boil, occasionally washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Let boil, swirling pan occasionally, until caramel is dark amber, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Gradually add cream (caramel will steam and spatter). Add butter and chocolate; stir until melted and smooth. Pour filling into tart shell and spread to cover bottom. Sprinkle with pecans and salt. Let cool slightly, then refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes; serve with whipped cream. Tart can be made ahead and stored in refrigerator up to 1 day.

Steps:

• To make the crust:
• Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse two or three times to combine. Add the butter and continue pulsing until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the water by drizzling about 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each drizzle. Stop once the dough begins to come together.
• Transfer the dough to a board and use the heel of your hand or a pastry scraper to press it together. Pat into a disk approximately 6 inches in diameter, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
• On a lightly floured board, roll out the dough to a 13 to 14-inch circle, flouring the dough and board as necessary to keep it from sticking. Roll up the dough around the rolling pin and unroll it into the tart pan. Gently lift the edges to ease the dough into the corners of the pan, then push the dough down gently to be certain the dough around the sides is 1/4 inch thick. Use a paring knife to cut excess dough from the rim of the pan. If necessary, pat a bit of the dough trimmings into any thin spots. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375degreesF. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet.
• Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork, line with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove the parchment and weights, and continue to bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate evenly over the bottom of the crust and bake for an additional minute, just to melt the chocolate. Remove from the oven and use the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula to spread the chocolate in an even layer. Let cool on a rack while you prepare the filling. Raise the oven temperature to 400degreesF.
• To make the filling:
• In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water and stir over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, without stirring, swirling the pan so the caramel colors evenly. If sugar crystals form on the sides of the pan, brush with a wet pastry brush. Test the color of the caramel by drizzling a few drops onto a white plate. When the color is medium to dark amber, remove from the heat. Slowly and carefully - it will bubble up - add the cream.
• Return the caramel to medium heat and cook for 3 minutes to thicken slightly, reducing the heat to medium-low if the caramel bubbles too much. Remove from the heat and cool for 15 minutes.
• Place the tart shell on a baking sheet.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the vanilla, egg, and yolk. Slowly whisk into the caramel. Stir in the melted butter, followed by the nuts and nibs, if using. Pour the filling into the prepared tart shell. The filling will come to the top of the shell. (If the crust has shrunk during baking, it may not hold all the filling.)
• Bake the tart for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 375degreesF and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the filling is set.
• Let cool on a rack for about 10 minutes. While still warm, move the tart in the pan to loosen the edges where the caramel has stuck, but keep it in the pan.
• Let cool completely before removing the tart ring.
• Serve each wedge of tart with a dollop of the cocoa whipped cream.
• Cocoa Whipped Cream:
• Place the cream in a chilled metal bowl or mixer bowl. With a whisk, or the whisk attachment, whip the cream until slightly frothy. Combine the sugar with the cocoa powder. Sprinkle into the cream and continue to whip until soft peaks form. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 1 hour.

Steps:

• Combine the water and sugar over medium heat until sugar colors to a deep amber.
• Take the sugar off the heat and add cream a little bit at a time. Watch out, the cream may splatter.
• Return the mixture to the heat, add butter, and return to a boil.
• Take the mixture off the heat again and add the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes, so the chocolate can melt. Beat it smooth and whisk in the Rum (if you are using it).
• Let the filling set at room temperature and then fold in the pecans.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make the crust: Lightly coat a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and roast until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes; let cool. Transfer 1/2 cup of the pecans to a food processor; add the flour, sugar and kosher salt and pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until it is in pea-size bits. Pulse in the egg yolk and vanilla until large clumps form.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press it into the bottom and up the sides. Prick the bottom all over with a fork, then freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Line the crust with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until set, about 25 minutes, then remove the foil and weights and continue baking until golden, 10 to 15 more minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
• Make the caramel for the filling: Combine the sugar, 1/4 cup water and the kosher salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Cook, swirling the pan but not stirring, until amber, 8 to 10 minutes. Brush any sugar crystals off the side of the pan with a wet pastry brush. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream, butter and vanilla (the mixture will bubble). Return to medium heat and simmer, whisking constantly, until thick enough to coat a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
• Gently whisk the eggs and flour in a large bowl, then whisk in the caramel. Place the crust on a baking sheet, arrange the remaining 1 1/4 cups pecans in the bottom and add the filling. Bake until set around the edge, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
• Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Drizzle over the tart and sprinkle with sea salt. Let the chocolate set before slicing.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy; blend in flour and salt. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Shape into 1-in. balls; press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased mini-muffin cups. , For filling, in a small bowl, beat the egg. Add brown sugar, butter and vanilla; mix well. Stir in pecans. Spoon into tart shells. , Bake at 325° for 25-30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before carefully removing from pans. Garnish with maraschino cherries if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pie dough to a 12-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Wrap dough around rolling pin, and unwrap over a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press dough into bottom and up sides of pan; trim edge of dough.
• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, light corn syrup, 4 teaspoons melted butter, and the vanilla. Scatter chocolate evenly over tart shell. Pour filling over chocolate. Arrange pecans on top, as desired. Dot with 2 teaspoons chilled butter.
• Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until filling is set, 45 to 60 minutes. If pecans are browning too quickly, tent pan with foil. Remove from oven; while still hot, drizzle with bourbon, if desired. Let tart cool completely before serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (if using dark or nonstick pan, heat oven to 325°). Grease bottom and side of 10-inch springform pan with shortening. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, water, oil and 2 eggs until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread in pan.
• Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until puffed in center and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/2 cup whipping cream and the caramels over medium heat, stirring frequently, until caramels are melted. Stir small amount of the hot mixture into beaten egg, then stir egg back into mixture in saucepan. Cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in pecans. Spread over brownie. Refrigerate uncovered at least 3 hours until chilled.
• Run metal spatula around side of pan to loosen dessert; remove side of pan. Transfer dessert on pan base to serving plate. In chilled small bowl, beat 3/4 cup whipping cream and the powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spoon whipped cream in 12 dollops around edge of dessert. Cut into wedges to serve. Store covered in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend crackers and 2 tablespoons sugar in processor until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter; process until moist clumps form. Press mixture firmly over bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Bake crust until golden and firm, about 7 minutes. Cool completely on rack.
• Stir bittersweet chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate into tart crust. Using small metal spatula, spread over bottom of crust. Arrange 1 1/2 cups pecans in single layer over chocolate.
• Mix 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high; boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Add 3/4 cup cream and 2 tablespoons butter (mixture will bubble vigorously). Set over low heat; stir until caramel is smooth, about 1 minute. Pour over pecans atop chocolate in crust. Chill until set, about 45 minutes. Stir milk chocolate and 1/4 cup cream in heavy saucepan over low heat until smooth. Pour over caramel; spread evenly. Arrange 1/2 cup pecans around edge of tart. Chill at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.

Steps:

• To make the pastry, cream the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon or in an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add the egg yolks and 35ml water and mix well until all the liquid has been incorporated. Gradually mix in the flour and cocoa powder until a paste is formed. It will be quite a soft dough.
• Wrap the pastry in foil, flatten it with your hand and chill for 1 hr. The pastry can be made two days ahead, though in this case, you may want to remove it from the fridge for a few minutes before rolling to soften it.
• Sprinkle your work surface with a light dusting of flour and roll out the pastry until it's about 5mm thick. Line a 23cm tart tin with the pastry using the rolling pin to help you lift it over, pushing the pastry well into the edges and folding the excess over the top. Trim off the excess. Chill for 15 mins to relax the pastry and to help prevent it from shrinking during cooking.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line the tart with a sheet of baking parchment (scrunch it up first to soften it), then tip in baking beans, rice or lentils and bake blind for 15 mins. Lift out the beans and bake for a further 10-12 mins until the base is dry. Allow to cool.
• To make the filling, put all the ingredients in a glass or metal mixing bowl, place it over a pan of very hot water and allow them to melt together until glossy and thick. Pour into the cooled pastry case and chill for 4 hrs or overnight.
• For the topping, heat the sugar in a saucepan on a medium heat, tilt the pan rather than stirring, until you have an even golden liquid caramel. Add the salt and mix well with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. Pour in the pecans and, mixing thoroughly, quickly pour the mixture on to a piece of baking parchment and spread out with the back of the spoon. Allow to cool thoroughly, then break or chop up into shards or chunky pieces to sprinkle over the ganache.
• Cut the tart with a hot, wet knife for perfect, restaurant-quality slices. Recipe adapted from Adventures with Chocolate by Paul A Young (£14.99, Kyle Books). Photographs © Anders Schønnemann.