A rich chocolate ganache filling in a pecan crust with a touch of cinnamon drizzled with caramel sauce
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Chill Time2 hourshrs
Servings: 8
Author: Adapted from Bon Appetit February, 1993 recipe
Equipment
9" tart pan with removable bottom
Ingredients
Crust
2cupspecans
1/4cupgolden brown sugarpacked
1/4teaspooncinnamon
2tablespoonsunsalted buttersoftened
Filling
1/2cupheavy whipping cream
12ouncesgood semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped bars
Caramel Sauce (you can substitute store-bought sauce instead)
1/2cup(1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1cup+ 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
2cupsheavy whipping cream
Garnish
strawberry fans
Instructions
Tart
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Blend the first 3 ingredients in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground. Add butter and blend until well combined. Then press the nut mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.
Filling
In a medium, heavy saucepan, bring cream to a simmer. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate into the crust. Cover and refrigerate until firm (about 2 hours.) You can prepare the tart and the sauce a day in advance.
Caramel Sauce (you can substitute store-bought sauce instead)
Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sugar and cook until deep golden brown, whisking frequently, about 10 minutes. The mixture goes from a very grainy to a more smooth paste-like texture after approximately 10 minutes. Add cream and cook at a low boil until sauce is reduced to 2 1/2 cups, whisking frequently. The sugar will initially harden into clumps when the cream is added but will melt again as the sauce is boiling. It takes approximately 15-30 minutes to reduce the sauce (depending on your heat.) A longer, slower boil will continue to deepen the color of the caramel sauce. Cool slightly before serving. If making caramel sauce in advance, rewarm until free-flowing.
Finish
Slice tart and drizzle with caramel sauce then top with strawberry fan.
Notes
I have made this homemade sauce and used store-bought caramel. Both produce a delicious result.