Caramel Tart Filling Food

SALTED CARAMEL TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 160C/320F. Grease and line the base only of a 23cm / 9" tart tin with a loose base. (Or a springform pan of a similar size)
• Roughly break up biscuits and place in a food processor, then whizz until fine crumbs form. Or do this step with a ziplock bag and rolling pin.
• Pour crumbs into a bowl, add melted butter, mix until it looks like wet sand and no dry crumbs remain. Pour into tin, then press firmly into base and sides - use something flat like a cup to assist (refer to video).
• Transfer to tray (safe handling), place in oven and bake for 10 minutes, then remove and cool slightly (5 minutes in fridge).

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL TART

Steps:

• Prepare chocolate dough: In bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, confectioners' sugar and cocoa. Beat until smooth. Add egg yolk and vanilla, and beat until blended.
• Sift flour into dough mixture. Beat on low speed until combined. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch tart pan. (You can use a 9-inch pan, but the crust will be thicker and the caramel may take longer to set in step 4.)
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line tart with foil, and fill with dried beans, rice or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights, and bake until pastry is dry and set, another 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Prepare caramel filling: In a large saucepan, bring sugar, water and corn syrup to a boil. Stir or swirl the pan occasionally, until mixture is a medium amber color, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat. Caramel will continue to cook and darken off of the heat. Carefully but quickly whisk in the butter, cream, creme fraiche and salt until smooth (mixture will bubble up). Pour hot caramel into tart, and allow to cool and set, at least 1 hour.
• Prepare chocolate glaze: Place chocolate in a bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Pour hot cream over chocolate and whisk until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Pour glaze over tart, tilting tart for even coverage. Refrigerate until tart is set, at least one hour, then sprinkle with a few granules of fleur de sel. Keep refrigerated until serving.

CARAMEL TART FILLING

Steps:

• Put brown sugar, plain flour, butter, vanilla essence and egg yolks into a medium saucepan and mix well together.
• Slowly add milk beating well (don't worry if mixture appears to curdle - it usually does).
• Put over a medium heat and stir continuously until it thickens and has a rich glossy brown colour, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Let cool and pour into ready made cooked pie pastry shell.
• OPTIONAL EXTRA (MERINGUE TOPPING).
• Beat 2 egg whites till soft peaks form, slowly add in 4 tablespoon sugar until glossy and have stiff peaks.
• Spoon meringue onto caramel, making sure it covers the pastry.
• Put into a hot oven (200 degree C) and bake till golden - should only take a few minutes.
• Cut and serve with thick cream.

CARAMEL FILING FOR CAKES TARTS AND DESSERTS

Steps:

• Place brown sugar, golden syrup, and butter in a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. Stir until all the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Pro tip - Stir often and the heat to medium otherwise the sugar around the edges will burn and give the caramel a burnt taste.
• Reduce the heat and continue to cook until the mixture becomes darker in color. This takes about 2 to 3 minutes. Pro tip - once all the moisture has evaporated the sugar will start to caramelize further. This will give the caramel a deeper color.
• Next, reduce the heat to low. Add the condensed milk and let come to a boil on low heat again. Pro tip- when you add the condensed milk the mixture may appear curdled or separated but just combine and it will all become smooth.
• Cook on low for about another minute or two stirring constantly. The mixture will get thicker. Add the vanilla extract and take it off the heat. Pro tip - we want a smooth creamy texture that coats the back of a spoon.
• Set aside to cool slightly before you pour into a mason jar or fill a tart. Pro tip - The mixture will continue to thicken as it cools. You can pour warm caramel into a tart to help it smooth out easily.
• Enjoy!

DARK CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL TART

Steps:

• Make the crust: Combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt in a food processor; pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like sand. Add the egg yolk and 4 teaspoons cold water; pulse until the dough comes together and forms a ball, adding up to 2 more teaspoons water if necessary. Press the dough into a 9-inch fluted tart pan in an even layer. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the crust looks dry, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake 5 more minutes. Transfer the crust to a rack to cool completely.
• Make the filling: Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; cover and bring to a boil. Cook, covered, until the sugar is dissolved, 4 to 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until the caramel is a dark amber color, 3 to 5 more minutes.
• Remove the caramel from the heat and add the heavy cream; whisk until the caramel stops bubbling. Stir in the vanilla and fine salt. Let cool to room temperature.
• Combine the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Let melt completely, about 10 minutes, then stir to combine. Remove the bowl from the pan and let cool.
• Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Whisk the egg yolks and whole egg in a large bowl until frothy, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the caramel, then the melted chocolate mixture. Set the tart pan on a large rimmed baking sheet; pour the filling into the crust.
• Transfer the baking sheet to the oven. Bake until the tart is set around the edges but the center is still jiggly, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until fully set, at least 3 hours. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving.

TINY CARAMEL TARTS

Steps:

• In 10-inch heavy skillet, heat 1 cup of the sugar over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until sugar is melted and golden brown. Stir in butter until melted. Remove from heat.
• In 3-quart heavy saucepan, stir together flour, egg yolks, milk and remaining 1 cup sugar with wire whisk. Heat to simmering over low heat, stirring constantly. Add melted sugar mixture; cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Spoon mixture into large bowl. Cover; refrigerate 4 hours.
• To serve, spoon caramel mixture into phyllo shells; top with whipped cream.

SALTED BUTTER TART (WITH A RICH CARAMEL FILLING)

Steps:

• Make the pastry: Combine the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles very coarse bread crumbs. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
• In another bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar. Pour the egg mixture over the flour-butter mixture and mix with a fork. Squeeze a bit of the mixture between your fingers. If it holds together, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface; if not, add a couple of teaspoons of ice water and test again. Knead gently and form into a ball, divide the pastry in half, and flatten into 2 disks. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.
• Make the tart: Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and line a 9-inch or 9 1/2-inch (23-cm or 24-cm) tart pan. Prick the base of the tart with a fork and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Place the tart shell on a baking sheet. Line the tart with parchment paper and fill it with dried beans. Bake until the pastry is just set, about 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and continue to cook until the pastry is a dark golden color, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the tart to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
• Combine the sugar and butter in a deep, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir to mix and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter and sugar caramelize, 10 to 15 minutes. The sugar and butter will go through several stages. First it will look like a flour-butter roux, then it will appear curdled, and then the butter will leak out of the sugar mixture. Don't worry: It will all come together in the end.
• While the caramel is cooking, pour the cream into a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Keep stirring the butter-sugar mixture, watching carefully as it begins to caramelize and remembering that the heat in the pan will continue to cook the caramel once it is removed from the burner. You want a rich, dark caramel color, but you don't want to burn the mixture, which will give it a bitter taste. When the caramel reaches the right color, remove the pan from the heat and slowly and carefully pour in the cream; the mixture will bubble and spit. When the caramel stops bubbling, return it to low heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve the caramel in the cream. Remove the pan from the heat and let the caramel cool for 10 minutes. Slowly pour the cooled caramel into the baked pastry shell and chill the tart for at least 2 hours.
• This tart is easier to cut when it is chilled. Remove the tart from the pan and, using a wet knife, cut it into wedges. Serve the tart at room temperature, however, for maximum flavor, with a dollop of whipped cream.

WALNUT CARAMEL TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Put the flour in a food processor with the butter and sugar, and mix until it forms fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and 1-2 tbsp cold water, and pulse to make a firm dough.
• Have ready a 24cm tart tin. Briefly knead the pastry on a lightly floured surface, then roll out to a round about 5cm larger than your tin. Lift onto the tin with the help of your rolling pin, then press into the corners using your finger. Do not trim the pastry. Fill the pastry case with a round of baking parchment and baking beans. Chill for 10 mins. Blindbake for 10 mins, remove the paper and beans, then bake for 5 mins more.
• To make the filling, put the sugar in a large pan with 3 tbsp cold water. Heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the sugar is completely dissolved, increase heat and bubble until the syrup has turned a rich caramel colour. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until it has dissolved, then stir in the cream. Return to the heat and boil hard, stirring until the sauce is thick enough to leave a gap on the base of the pan when you draw your spoon across it. Stir in the walnuts.
• Fill the pastry case with the nut mixture, levelling it with a fork. Return to the oven for 8-10 mins until the filling is bubbling. Cool for 10 mins before removing carefully from the tin. Serve warm or cold.