No time to chat, lots happening in the last month of this year. We’re going home to bring Baby boy home yay! Before the winter break, Baby boy’s school hosts their annual function and although that is always exciting and special for all parents, this year is particularly important for our family; while Baby boy, in his second year in school, is preparing to participate in his school’s functions, Baby boy’s father and grandfather are gearing up for their 20th and 50th reunions respectively. So for two days the entire family will be in school celebrating traditions, friendships and memories of the alma mater that our family has been a part of for generations.
In other news we had our anniversary last week, 11th to be precise and this tart was demanded by the husband; after repeated demands for this very tart I can now safely say it is his favourite. I tried something with the crust this time and happy to say I like it as much if not more than a traditional flour and butter crust, the bonus being, it is also healthier so you can enjoy all the chocolate and caramel filling knowing that a healthy crust is balancing it all out *wink* *wink*. I’m sure many of you have struggled with rolling out pastry dough and when that finally gets done, you still have to lift it without tearing it and if that gets done then you’re waiting with your nose to the oven door hoping it doesn’t shrink! This crust has not one of those problems; all you have to do is blitz together oats, flour, cocoa, honey and butter or coconut oil for a vegan version, that’s it! The next layer is caramel; again the caramel is made with brown sugar so you don’t have to worry about the sugar getting burnt like in the traditional method and there can be nothing simpler than making chocolate ganache. The most convenient thing about this tart is that it can be made 4-5 days ahead of time, so you can check dessert off your list, days in advance for your next party. Since I had made this tart for our anniversary, I decided to top it with some dried rose petals to give it a romantic element but I also added some sea salt flakes on my slice and absolutely loved it.
I’m off to finish my packing and you probably won’t hear from me for a while but I promise to be back as soon as possible with more deliciousness.
Ingredients
For the crust
- Rolled/ old fashioned oats (not the quick cooking variety) – 1 ¼ cup
- Whole wheat flour/ Atta- ¾ cup
- Cocoa powder- 2 tbsp
- Honey- ¼ cup
- Unsalted Butter- 100 grams or for a vegan version use 1/3 cup slightly melted coconut oil
For the Salted Caramel
- Brown sugar- 2/3 cup
- Butter- 100 grams
- Heavy cream/whipping cream- ¼ cup
- Salt- ¼ – ½ tsp
For the Chocolate Ganache
- Dark chocolate (chopped in to small pieces) – 300 grams
- Heavy cream/ whipping cream- 1 cup
- Dried rose petals for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C.
- In a food processor/ mixer, add oats, whole wheat flour and cocoa powder; pulse till the oats are coarsely ground. Add honey and butter or coconut oil and pulse again till everything is mixed together and resembles wet sand.
- Press this mixture (I used my fingers) into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch round tart tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Heat brown sugar and butter in a medium pan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Once the mixture starts to bubble, cook for a minute. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the cream until smooth. Add ¼ tsp salt and stir to mix. Let the caramel cool, taste and add more salt if required.
- Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Heat the cream till almost boiling and add it to the chocolate. Let sit for 2-3 minutes and then stir gently till you have a smooth ganache. If any chocolate pieces remain, place bowl in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, till all the chocolate has melted. Let the ganache cool before using. Pour the caramel into the baked and cooled tart crust, refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the caramel set. Then pour the chocolate ganache on top and let it set; store covered in the refrigerator. Garnish with dried rose petals.
Notes
The tart can be made and stored covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Take it out of the refrigerator 20-30 minutes before serving.
Crust recipe from Bon Appetit.
Oh! Sweet Citrus 