Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart (Printable Version)

Rich dark chocolate tart with silky salted caramel and a hint of flaky sea salt.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chocolate Tart Crust

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
04 - 1/3 cup powdered sugar
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2-3 tablespoons cold water
07 - Pinch of salt

→ Salted Caramel Layer

08 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1/4 cup water
10 - 1/3 cup heavy cream
11 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
12 - 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus extra for topping

→ Chocolate Ganache

13 - 6 ounces dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa), finely chopped
14 - 2/3 cup heavy cream
15 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

# How to Make It:

01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and salt until combined.
02 - Add cold butter and rub in with fingertips or pulse in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
03 - Add egg yolk and 2 tablespoons cold water, then mix until dough comes together, adding additional water if needed.
04 - Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
05 - Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and press into a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom, trimming excess dough.
06 - Refrigerate tart shell for 15 minutes until ready to blind bake.
07 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes, remove weights, then bake 8-10 minutes more until lightly golden.
08 - Remove tart shell from oven and allow to cool completely at room temperature.
09 - In a saucepan, combine granulated sugar and water over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves completely, then stop stirring.
10 - Increase heat to medium-high and cook until the mixture turns a deep amber color, approximately 8-10 minutes.
11 - Remove from heat, carefully whisk in heavy cream (mixture will bubble vigorously), then whisk in butter until smooth and emulsified.
12 - Stir in flaky sea salt to the caramel mixture.
13 - Pour salted caramel over the cooled tart crust and spread evenly with a spatula.
14 - Refrigerate tart for 30 minutes until the caramel layer is completely set.
15 - Place finely chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
16 - Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until just beginning to simmer.
17 - Pour hot cream over chocolate and let sit undisturbed for 2 minutes to allow chocolate to soften.
18 - Add softened butter and stir gently with a spatula until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
19 - Pour chocolate ganache over the caramel layer and smooth the top with a spatula for an even finish.
20 - Refrigerate tart for at least 1 hour until the ganache layer is completely set and firm.
21 - Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top of the tart just before serving. Slice with a warm knife wiped between cuts for clean edges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of dessert that looks restaurant-worthy but actually feels manageable once you break it into layers.
  • The interplay between dark chocolate, sweet caramel, and that surprising pinch of salt creates a flavor moment people genuinely pause to appreciate.
  • Most of the work happens in advance, so you can chill and relax while the tart sets itself.
02 -
  • Never stir the caramel after the sugar has dissolved and started to color; you'll cause it to crystallize and seize into grainy disaster instead of becoming a smooth, amber syrup.
  • The cold crust is absolutely worth the extra chilling time; a warm crust doesn't hold its structure and will leak into your caramel layer.
  • Measuring your ingredients, especially the chocolate and cream, prevents the ganache from becoming either too thick or too thin to pour smoothly.
03 -
  • Add a pinch of espresso powder to your ganache if you want to deepen the chocolate flavor and create an almost-savory undertone that makes people wonder what you did differently.
  • Slice the tart with a long, sharp knife warmed in hot water between each cut; this prevents the layers from cracking and falling apart, giving you those clean, professional-looking slices that make the whole thing feel worth the effort.
  • Make this tart a day ahead if you can; the flavors settle and deepen overnight, and the structure becomes more stable, which makes serving much easier.
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