Salted Caramel Tart Food

SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Line the base of a deep, round 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin with a circle of baking parchment. Line the sides with one long strip that comes just above the sides of the tin - staple or paper clip where the strip overlaps to hold it in place.
• Crush the biscuits in a plastic bag or bowl with the end of a rolling pin. Stir into the melted butter, then evenly press into the bottom of the tin. Chill for 10 mins.
• Reserve 2 tbsp of the caramel. Stir the sea salt into the remainder and spoon into the centre of the biscuit base. Gently spread so the base is evenly covered but a visible 1-2cm border of biscuit remains around the edge. Chill for 20 mins while you make the chocolate layer.
• Gently melt the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir 1 tbsp of the cream into the reserved caramel, then cover and chill until ready to decorate. Once the chocolate has melted, turn off the heat but leave the bowl where it is, and gradually stir in the remaining cream until you have a smooth, shiny, thick chocolate sauce. Sift in the icing sugar and stir in with the vanilla extract. Lift off the heat and let the mixture cool for 10 mins.
• Ladle or pour the chocolate mixture around the edge of the torte first, so it fills the biscuit border, sealing the caramel in the centre. Then ladle or pour in the rest and gently shake to smooth the surface. Chill for at least 5 hrs or up to 24 hours until firm.
• Remove the torte from the tin, then carefully peel off the strip of paper and transfer to a serving plate. Dot the chocolates on top. Spoon the reserved caramel-cream mixture into a small food or freezer bag. Snip off the tiniest tip of the corner to make a very small opening, then squiggle lines of caramel over the top. Chill until ready to serve. Scatter with a pinch or two of sea salt before serving, then thinly slice. Eat with a drizzle of single cream, if you like.

SALTED CARAMEL APPLE TART TATIN

Steps:

• Position the oven rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Spray an 8 by 3-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray.
• Combine the sugar and 6 tablespoons water in a heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. You will not stir the sugar after this point. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Do not stir. Cook until the syrup is a deep amber color, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully add the butter (the caramel will bubble vigorously). Stir to blend, then add the flaked sea salt. Pour the caramel into the prepared cake pan. Let cool 5 minutes.
• Peel, quarter and core the apples. Cut into 1/2-inch thick slices. You don't want to cut the slices too thin because they will fall apart or break down when cooked - the 1/2-inch slices will hold their shape. Fill a large bowl with water and add the lemon juice. Place the apple slices in the acidulated water and set aside. This will keep the apples white.
• Place the cake pan over a stovetop burner, but don't turn the burner on. Lay 2 apple slices in the center of the pan on top of the caramel. Arrange the remaining apple slices in a circle, overlapping one another so that the end result looks similar to a rose. While layering, occasionally press down on the apples to make sure they all fit into the pan. If the caramel starts to set, turn the heat on very low to help loosen it up.
• With an oven mitt (the pan may be hot), pop the pan into the oven. Bake until the apples are tender and the caramel bubbles thickly, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured work surface. Using a clean 9-inch round cake pan bottom as an aid, trace and cut out a 9-inch round from the pastry.
• Remove the pan from the oven. Top the apples with the pastry round, pressing down and tucking in the edges. Pierce or dock the pastry all over with a fork. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the pastry is golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool the tart completely in the pan.
• Invert a platter or cake stand over the cake pan. Hold the platter and the pan and invert. The tart will fall out onto the platter. If the tart does not cooperate, run the edge with a knife and place over medium heat until slightly warmed, then invert the pan onto the platter. Cut into wedges and serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

CHOCOLATE, HAZELNUT & SALTED CARAMEL TART

Steps:

• To make the pastry, whizz the hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Add the flour, icing sugar and butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and 1-2 tbsp cold water, and pulse until the dough comes together. Tip the dough out and flatten into a disc, then wrap in cling film and chill for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to line a 23cm loose-bottomed, deep tart tin. Trim the edges and prick the base with a fork, then line with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake for 20 mins, then carefully remove the baking beans and parchment and bake for a further 5-10 mins until light golden. Allow to cool.
• Meanwhile, make the salted caramel. Tip the sugar into a small pan, add 1-2 tbsp water and heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat and cook until the sugar turns to an ambercoloured caramel. Reduce the heat and add the butter, cream and golden syrup, and stir until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and add the salt. Allow to cool for a few mins, then spread onto the tart base. Scatter with chopped hazelnuts and set aside.
• For the chocolate filling, melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth, then remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolk and caster sugar for about 6 mins until thick and pale. Fold in the melted chocolate and cocoa, then pour into the tart case. Transfer to a baking sheet and cook for 20-25 mins or until set and the top has formed a crust. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving in slices.

BANANA CREAM TART WITH SALTED CARAMEL

Steps:

• Place 1 large banana and lemon juice in food processor bowl fitted with metal blade. Cover; process until smooth. Add all remaining filling ingredients. Cover; process until smooth.
• Pour banana mixture into 2-quart heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with whisk, 7-9 minutes or just until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat. Pour filling into bowl. Place plastic food wrap directly onto surface of filling. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until cool.
• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Combine all crust ingredients in bowl; mix well. Press mixture firmly onto bottom and sides of 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned and set. Cool completely.
• Place chilled whipping cream and powdered sugar into chilled deep bowl; beat at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently stir 1 1/2 cups whipped cream into cooled filling. Pour into prepared crust. Cover; refrigerate about 3 hours or until set.
• Garnish individual servings with remaining whipped cream and sliced bananas, if desired. Drizzle each serving with about 1 tablespoon warm caramel ice cream topping; sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.

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).

SALTED CARAMEL TART

Steps:

• 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. Dump the mixture into a large bowl.
• In another bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar. Pour the egg mixture over the flour mixture and mix with a fork. Squeeze a bit of the mixture between your fingertips. 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.
• 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 sweet butter pastry-lined tart pan on a baking sheet. Line the pastry 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. Move the tart to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, 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, the mixture 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 over medium heat. Bring it to a boil, then immediately remove it from the heat and set it 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 to end up with a rich, dark caramel color, but you don't want to burn the mixture, which will impart a bitter taste. When the caramel reaches a color that's just a shade lighter than what you want, 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 cooled, baked pastry in the tart pan. Refrigerate the tart for at least 2 hours.
• Remove the tart from the pan and, using a wet knife, cut it into wedges. (The tart is easier to cut when it's chilled.) Serve the tart at room temperature. For maximum flavor, bestow a dollop of whipped cream upon each slice.

SALTED CARAMEL-CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• Crust:
• Whisk cocoa, sugar, salt, and 1 2/3 cups flour in a medium bowl. Add butter and toss to coat. Using your fingers, smash butter into dry ingredients until it nearly disappears (you shouldn't see any large bits) and mixture holds together when squeezed-you're working it more than you would pie dough. Make a well in the center and add yolk and milk. Using a fork, gradually incorporate flour mixture until you've got a shaggy dough. Knead a couple of times in bowl until no dry spots remain and dough is smooth. Flatten into a 3/4"-thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and chill until firm, about 2 hours. (You can make the caramel filling during this time.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Let dough sit 5 minutes to soften slightly. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 14" round about 1/8" thick, dusting with more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Lift dough on one edge and throw a pinch of flour on surface. Slide bottom of tart pan under dough, positioning it roughly in the center. Fold in edges of dough so it's resting fully on insert; place inside tart ring and unfold edges so they gently slump against sides of pan and excess dough is hanging over the edges. Press dough firmly into bottom of pan with floured hands, then use a straight-sided measuring cup to firmly press sides of dough into grooves and up sides of pan. Roll pin over top edge of pan to shear off excess dough flush with pan. Reserve dough scraps for patching any potential cracks later. Prick bottom of dough all over with a fork and chill in freezer until very firm, 10-15 minutes.
• Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet and line with a sheet of parchment paper or foil. Fill with pie weights or dried beans and bake until edges of crust are set and starting to look dry, 12-15 minutes. Carefully lift parchment with weights. Patch any visible cracks with reserved dough. Return crust to oven and bake until firm and dry all over, 18-22 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
• Filling:
• Bring sugar, cream of tartar, and 1/3 cup water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-low, stirring with a heatproof spatula until dissolved. Cook, swirling pot often but not stirring, until mixture turns deep amber and wisps of smoke rise from the surface, 8-10 minutes. Remove caramel from heat and immediately stir in butter a piece at a time until smooth (be careful; mixture will sputter). Gradually stir in cream, then add salt. Transfer caramel to a heatproof measuring glass (you should have about 1 1/2 cups). Let cool until warm.
• Pour caramel into cooled tart shell. Chill until caramel is set, at least 1 hour.
• Ganache:
• Place chocolate, cream, and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (bowl should not touch water). Stir with a heatproof spatula until ganache is smooth, about 5 minutes. Let cool until thickened enough to hold an indentation from a spoon.
• Remove tart from refrigerator and scrape ganache over caramel. Using a spoon, gently work ganache over surface, creating decorative swooshes and swirls. Sprinkle with sea salt; let sit until ganache has lost its sheen, 10-15 minutes.
• Do Ahead
• Dough can be made 2 days ahead; keep chilled. Crust can be baked 1 day ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature. Caramel filling can be made 3 days ahead; cover and chill. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring in between, just until pourable. Caramel-filled tart can be made 1 day ahead; once it's set, cover and keep chilled. Tart can be assembled 1 day ahead. Chill until ganache is set, then cover loosely. Let sit at room temperature 15 minutes before slicing.

SALTED CHOCOLATE CARAMEL TART

Steps:

• Make the tart shell:
• Preheat oven to 300°F. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse almonds until finely ground; remove and set aside. Add butter, sugar, and vanilla to food processor and pulse to combine well. Return ground almonds to food processor along with flour and salt and pulse briefly until a dough begins to form. Transfer dough (it will be crumbly) to a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides, using your knuckles to spread it as evenly as possible. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes. Prick dough all over with a fork and bake until just golden brown, about 45 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack and let crust cool completely.
• Make the caramel:
• Place a pastry brush in a cup of water near the stove. In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, water, and corn syrup. Cook over medium-high heat, swirling gently but not stirring, and occasionally using the pastry brush to wash down any sugar crystals from the sides of the pan. Continue to cook until caramel reaches a dark amber color, swirling frequently as it darkens, 15 to 20 minutes total. Remove from heat and carefully add the cream all at once (it will bubble up). Add the butter, vanilla, and salt, and when the bubbles die down a bit, whisk caramel until smooth. Pour into tart shell and set aside to cool for 20 minutes. Then, refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour, or up to one day ahead.
• Make the ganache:
• After the caramel-filled tart has chilled for at least an hour, melt the chocolate gently in a bowl set atop barely simmering water in a saucepan. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool slightly. Stir the crème fraîche into the chocolate, followed by the butter and corn syrup. Stir to combine well. Spread over the cooled caramel tart and refrigerate until set, at least 30 minutes (or up to 3 hours). Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, and garnish with flaky salt, if desired.

SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE GANACHE TART

Steps:

• 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 a tart pan. Prick all over with a fork and put into the freezer for 10 minutes. Bake chilled crust for 15 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.
• For the caramel, place the sugar, corn syrup and salt in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium high heat. Stir to combine, but onces the mixture begins to bubble stop stirring for the remainder of the cooking process. The sugar will first turn clear, then it will noticeably start bubbling and eventually take on color. Continue to cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer inserted into the syrup reads 340°, stir in the butter. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully (watch the sputtering) add the heavy cream and vanilla. Pour the caramel into the cooled crust and refrigerate for about 3-4 hours or 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.

SALTED CARAMEL WALNUT TART

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature 30 minutes. In a microwave, heat cream on high for 20 seconds. Keep warm. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and syrup, stirring frequently. Bring to a boil; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Slowly pour cream into pan; continue stirring constantly (cream may spatter) until well blended. Gradually add butter, stirring until melted. Add vanilla and sea salt; stir until smooth. Cool., Unroll crust into a 9-in. tart pan; trim edges. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°. Line unpricked crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until edges are golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 3-5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack., Reduce oven setting to 350°. Whisk eggs into caramel mixture; stir in walnuts. Add filling to crust. Bake until center is just set (mixture will jiggle), 20-25 minutes. Cool completely. Refrigerate leftovers.

PEACH TART WITH COCONUT CREAM AND SLIGHTLY SALTED CARAMEL

Steps:

• For the peach tart: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Toss the peaches with the brown sugar and lemon juice and set aside.
• Place the flour and confectioners' sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Turn to low speed and add the butter a few pats at a time. Once all the butter has been added, beat until the flour, sugar and butter begin to form a dough and it holds its shape when pressed together with your fingers. Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and gently knead and bring together to form a ball. Pat the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Place into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
• Spray eight 4-inch tart pans with nonstick cooking spray. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten into a disc. Press the dough into each tart shell, using your fingers to press the dough up the sides of the tart shell. Trim any excess dough that overhangs from the top. Dock the dough with a fork. Place the tart shells into the fridge to chill for 5 minutes.
• Line the inside of the tart shells with parchment paper and fill with baking beans. Transfer the shells into the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and baking beans, then put back into the oven for another 5 minutes. Allow to cool before filling.
• For the pastry cream: Add the egg yolks, granulated sugar and cornstarch to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high until the yolks are pale yellow and peaks begin to form, a few minutes. Scrape down the edges of the bowl with a spatula and beat again to ensure the ingredients are fully incorporated.
• Set up an ice bath in a large bowl and set aside. Add the coconut milk, kosher salt and vanilla beans with the pods to a small saucepan. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat and gradually, very little at a time, add the heated coconut milk into the whipped egg yolk mixture with the stand mixer turned down to low speed. It's important to add it very gradually to temper the eggs so they will not scramble. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan that the coconut milk was heated in and turn the heat to medium-low. Whisking constantly, cook until the pastry cream has thickened and reaches the consistency of pudding, about 5 minutes. Transfer the thickened pastry cream back into the stand mixer bowl and whisk on medium speed. Add the butter, one pat at a time. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes to cool it down. Spread the pastry cream onto a quarter sheet tray and cover with plastic wrap, pressing down onto the pastry cream itself to avoid a skin from forming on the top. Place into the fridge to chill for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Once the tart shells have cooled, place a tablespoon or so of pastry cream to cover the bottom. Then top with 1 1/2 tablespoons of macerated peach filling in each tart. Spoon some more pastry cream to cover the top of the tarts and spread with a spatula to flatten it down.
• For the caramel: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add the brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes. Then remove from the heat and add the vanilla and sea salt (be careful it's hot!!).
• To finish the tarts, lay a peach slice on top of each tart. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE TART WITH CANDIED PEANUTS

Steps:

• Add graham crackers, sugar, and pinch of salt to a food processors and pulse until crumbly. Slowly add butter and vanilla extract and continue to pulse until texture resembles wet sand. Add to a tart pan and press against the sides and bottom, ensuring crust is evenly distributed throughout the pan. Place in the freezer.
• Add sugar to a large sauce pan over medium low heat. Stir occasionally until sugar has melted. Reduce heat to low and add butter. Stir until melted and then add heavy cream. Caramel will break apart but whisk continuously. If needed, increase heat to medium until mixture comes back together and is smooth then remove from heat.
• Add salt and peanuts and fold together. Allow caramel to cool for about 10-15 minutes then pour on top of graham cracker crust and place back into the freezer.
• Make the chocolate ganache layer by adding heavy cream to a sauce pan over low heat. Do not boil. Warm for about 2-3 minutes, then add dark chocolate chips. Whisk together until chocolate has melted and remove from the heat. Pour on top of the caramel layer and place into the refrigerator. Allow tart to set for 2-3 hours.
• Optional step: To make the meringue, use a hand mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment and add egg whites. Beat on medium until eggs become frothy/bubbly, then add sugar very very slowly until stiff peaks form. Continue whisking and add vanilla extract and cream of tartar or white vinegar. Place into a piping bag and pipe on top of tart.
• Chop up peanuts and garnish on top of the tart.

SALTED CARAMEL TART RECIPE

Steps:

• Beat the sugar and butter together in a stand mixer, slowly pour in the eggs, then gradually add the flour and salt in three parts.
• Work everything together until the mixture forms a soft dough, then cover and chill your pastry in the fridge overnight.
• Roll out the chilled pastry, line your tart tin with it, trimming off any overhang, then rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. Blind bake the tart case at 180°c for around 30 minutes, checking now and then to make sure it's on the right track. The pastry should be golden and firm when done. I would recommend using a 28cm (11 inch) tart tin here, but you could easily adapt the recipe to fit different sized tins.
• Warm the double cream over a gentle heat.
• Meanwhile, melt your caster sugar in a separate pan and have the yolks and muscovado sugar mixed together in a separate bowl ready to use.
• When the sugar in the pan has turned into a golden caramel, very gradually add the warm cream while mixing gently. Be very careful not to burn yourself as it will bubble up and emit a lot of very hot steam.
• Once the cream and caramel are combined, gradually pour in the egg and sugar mixture while stirring continuously. Add salt to taste and then pass the mixture through a fine sieve to remove any lumps.
• Pour the salted caramel filling into the pre-baked tart case and bake at 100°c until the centre of the tart is no longer liquid, but still has a slight wobble.
• Check after 30 minutes and keep an eye on it; the total baking time could be up to an hour depending on your oven.
• When done, leave the tart to cool at room temperature before slicing and serving.

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.