Saturday Sweets: Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Tart
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep: 
Cook: 
Total time: 
Serves: 12
 
A decadent sweet & salty tart featuring a pretzel tart filled with rich chocolate ganache topped with sticky caramel.
Ingredients
  • CRUST:
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 1¼ cups coarsely crushed pretzels (3.5 oz) + a few more for topping
  • ¾ cup confectioner's sugar/icing sugar
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • FILLING:
  • 2 oz semisweet chocolate, melted (for sealing crust)
  • 6 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 4 oz unsweetened chocolate finely chopped
  • 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
  • CARAMEL TOPPING:
  • 1¼ cups packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup heavy (whipping) cream
  • ¼ cup butter
  • ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
  1. For the crust, with a mixer, cream the softened butter with the 1¼ cups crushed pretzels and confectioner's sugar until smooth (there will still be some pretzel chunks). Add the flour and egg and beat until creamy. Flatten the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap (it will be sticky) and refrigerate for about 45 minutes, until firm but not too firm to roll. If you refrigerate it longer, simply let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling.
  2. Roll the dough out between the sheets of plastic wrap to an 11" round. Peel off the top layer of plastic and invert the dough into a 10" removable-bottom tart pan. Press dough into corners and remove layer of plastic wrap. If the dough tears, just patch the areas with excess from the overhang.
  3. Refrigerate the crust for 20-30 minutes, until firm.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the crust with parchment paper and top with pie weights. Bake for 25 minutes, until nearly set, then remove pie weights and parchment paper and bake another 10-15 minutes, until firm and edges are golden. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
  5. Once cool, spread 2 oz of melted semisweet chocolate evenly over the crust. Set in the fridge to set while you make the ganache filling.
  6. For the filling, finely chop remaining semisweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate and set aside in a heat-proof bowl. Heat the whipping cream in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until steam rises from the cream.
  7. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and stir until completely smooth and shiny. Spoon 1⅓ cups of the ganache into the crust, setting aside the rest for topping. Put tart in the fridge until ganache sets, about 1 hour.
  8. While the ganache is setting, make the caramel:
  9. Bring brown sugar, whipping cream, and butter to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once it boils, continue to boil over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and set aside to cool while ganache sets.
  10. When ganache is set, pour caramel sauce evenly over top and sprinkle with extra pretzel pieces. Rewarm extra ganache gently on the stove or in the microwave and drizzle over top.
  11. Chill before serving for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
  12. Remove from fridge 20-30 minutes before serving for maximum flavour.
  13. Store leftover tart in the fridge.
Recipe by Hidden Ponies at https://hiddenponies.com/2014/01/saturday-sweets-chocolate-caramel-pretzel-tart/