The Love-ly Month of February - Drummers & Co Homestore

February should be a month filled with smiles, love, and gifts for (and from!) your loved ones...

That's why we have something for everyone this Valentines! It may be a special, sweet recipe to bake for your loved one, or a beautifully-aromatic candle to enjoy in some relaxing moments... Whatever it may be, Don't forget to check out our range available at Drummers & Co Homestore! 

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Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart

Serves 6-8 | Easy 

A chocolate tart shell filled with a soft-but-stable caramel filling and swoops of chocolate ganache is the kind of dessert romantic dreams are  made of. You can use a 23-25cm tart pan and be sure to add a generous sprinkling of flaky sea salt before serving. This will help bring out the chocolate flavor and even out the sweetness of the caramel.

CRUST:

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• ½ tsp. Rock salt
• 12/3 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3 Tbsp. chilled milk or water

FILLING:

• 1½ cups sugar
• ⅛ tsp. cream of tartar
• 6 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. rock salt dissolved in a tsp hot water

GANACHE:

• 4 oz. semisweet chocolate (do not go above 70% cacao), finely chopped
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• Flaky sea salt
• A 23cm or 25cm tart pan with removable bottom

Step 1 - CRUST

Whisk cocoa, sugar, salt, and 12/3 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. Make a well in the center and add yolk and milk. Using a fork, gradually incorporate flour mixture until you’ve a dough.

Knead a couple of times in bowl until no dry spots remain and dough is smooth. Flatten into a ¾”-thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and chill until firm, about 2 hours.

Step 2 - CRUST

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.

Step 3 - CRUST

Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet and line with a sheet of parchment paper or foil. Fill with pie weights 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.

Step 4 - 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 .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.

Step 5 - 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.

Step 6

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.

Enjoy!