Chocolate Cashew Caramel Tart Recipes

CHOCOLATE CASHEW TART

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the all-purpose flour, almond flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Gradually add the butter with the motor running. Add the egg yolks and water, and mix until just incorporated. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Form it into a flat rectangle and wrap it tightly in plastic. Place the dough in the refrigerator and let it rest for at least an hour or up to 2 days.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out until 1/8-inch thick. Brush away any excess flour, and cut out eight 3 1/2-inch rounds. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place eight 2-inch ring molds on the baking sheet, and top them with the dough rounds. Trim the top edge, and press the dough into the base of each ring to ensure there are no air pockets. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the middle position. Bake the shells for 7 to 8 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet and continue to bake for an additional 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the shells cool completely; then unmold them.
• Make the caramel filling. Combine the sugar, water, syrup and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Cover the saucepan and cook to a dark amber color, about 8 minutes, over medium heat. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, heat the cream until warm. Remove the caramelized sugar from the heat and deglaze the pan with the warmed cream. Return the caramel to low heat and cook until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and whisk the butter into the caramel.
• Make the chocolate ganache. In a small saucepan, bring the cream and syrup to a boil. Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Remove the cream mixture from the heat and gradually pour it over the chocolate, stirring to emulsify. Let the ganache cool to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, and then stir in the butter.
• Assemble the tarts. Arrange the tart shells on a clean baking sheet and line the bottom of each shell with some cashews, to reach about halfway up the sides. Reserve additional cashews for garnishing.
• Warm the caramel if necessary, and spoon just enough to cover the cashews in each shell. The shells at this stage should be only one-half to two-thirds full, allowing ample space for the ganache. Let the tarts stand for up to 30 minutes to let the caramel set slightly.
• Warm the ganache if necessary, and fill the remaining space in each tart with the ganache. Let the tarts stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour, at room temperature, to let the ganache set.
• To serve, place a finished tart on the center of each plate, and garnish with some cashews, some candied lemon peel, and a scoop of your favorite ice cream.

CARAMEL NUT TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Between 2 sheets of wax paper roll out dough into a 14-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick). Transfer dough to a baking sheet and chill 10 minutes. Lift top sheet of wax paper from dough and gently replace on top (this will facilitate removal of paper later). Flip dough over, discarding wax paper now on top, and carefully invert dough into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Lightly press dough up side of rim, using pieces from overhang to patch any holes. Chill shell 30 minutes, or until firm.
• Line shell with foil, folding over edge to cover pastry entirely, and fill with pie weights or raw rice. Bake shell on a baking sheet in middle of oven 35 minutes and carefully remove foil and weights or rice. If bottom of crust still has patches of translucent undercooked dough, return shell to oven without foil and weights or rice and bake until pastry is completely cooked and golden, 3 to 5 minutes more. Cool shell in pan on a rack.
• Reduce temperature to 350°F.
• Coarsely chop nuts. In a 3-quart heavy saucepan melt butter with brown sugar and honey, stirring, and simmer 1 minute. Stir in nuts and cream. Simmer mixture 1 minute and pour into shell. Bake tart on baking sheet in middle of oven 30 minutes, or until filling is a few shades darker. Cool tart in pan on rack.
• Chop chocolate and in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth. Cool chocolate slightly and transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a #3 plain tip (slightly smaller than 1/8 inch). (Alternatively, transfer chocolate to a small heavy-duty sealable plastic bag. Squeeze chocolate into one corner of bag and with scissors cut a tiny slice off corner to form a small hole.) Pipe thin lines of chocolate over tart in a back and forth motion to form stripes. Tart may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
• Serve caramel tart chilled or at room temperature with ice cream and tuiles.

CHOCOLATE CASHEW CARAMEL TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Press cookie dough in bottom and up side of ungreased 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until set. Dough will puff while baking but will hold its shape when set.
• In 1-quart saucepan, cook caramels and 1/4 cup of the whipping cream over low heat, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. In medium bowl, place cashews. Pour 1/4 cup caramel mixture over cashews; toss until completely coated. Set aside. Cool remaining caramel mixture 5 minutes. Pour over baked tart shell; refrigerate 30 minutes.
• In medium bowl, place chocolate chips. In 1-quart saucepan, heat remaining 1 1/4 cups whipping cream to boiling. Remove from heat; pour over chocolate chips. Let stand 2 minutes; stir gently until smooth. Pour mixture over caramel layer in tart shell; let stand 15 minutes. Break apart cashews; place on tart. Sprinkle with salt. Refrigerate 2 hours or until set. Store leftovers in refrigerator.