Double Chocolate Caramel Tart.

Caramel slice has been in my repertoire for a few years now, it's always a favourite and very yummy so I always like to pull it out for parties and special occasions.  I usually make my known biscuit base from scratch, you can find that recipe here in my lactose free cheesecake blog, but it contains coconut, which is fine, I love coconut, but I have a gorgeous sister in law who is allergic to coconut.  So with that in mind I decided to mix things up and came up with this Double Chocolate Caramel Tart. Not only is it a simplified the recipe, but if my caramel slice could ever be improved, I think I've done it…wooooo go me!
Now I'm sure I 'm not the first person to do a chocolate biscuit base for slices and tarts, but it is the first time that I have done it, and it definitely won't be the last!

What you need…
Equipment

• Heat proof bowls
• potato masher
• Whisk, Spoons, Spatula
• Flan / Tart cases, either 1 large or a few small. Or a 30cm slice tin.
• Saucepans

Base

• Packet of Chocolate Ripple biscuits
• 60 grams melted Butter

Filling

• One 395g can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 tablespoons of Golden Syrup
• 60 grams of Butter

Topping

• 125 grams Milk Chocolate
• 60 grams Copha

How you do it…

Base

• Take two thirds of the pack of Chocolate Ripple Biscuits and put them in bowl, smash them up!  I used a potato masher, Chocolate Ripple Biscuits brake up extremely easy, so it was really quick to do, and is a great step to get kids to help out with.
• Once all the biscuits are broken up into a fine crumb, add the melted butter and mix in well.
• In your greased (I used cooking spray) tins place the biscuit crumb.  You want just enough crumb to cover the base of tins as you don't want the base to be too thick, use a spoon or the handy potato masher to gently push the biscuit base creating a firm compact base.  If you like you can add some more of the crumb at this point and push it up around the edges to create a full biscuit case.
• Pop the base into the fridge to let firm up while you do the filling.

 

Filling

• Heat your oven to 180 degrees
• Place the Condensed Milk, Golden Syrup and Butter in a saucepan.
• Put the saucepan on a medium heat and whisk together for 8mins.  Keep whisking the whole time to insure it doesn't burn. You want it to be a light golden colour.  I find this takes 8 mins, but it may take a little less if you heat is up a little high, so keep an eye on it, and if you think it is has reached a nice golden colour take it off the stove.
• Take out your biscuits base and pour the caramel filling in, it will be quite thick so you will need to use a spoon or spatula to push the filling around to fill the case.
• Pop it into the pre-heated oven for 5 min, you just want it to start to bubble and get a little more golden on top.
• Let cool on the bench and once cool enough to touch place it into the fridge for 3 to 4 hours to fully set.

Topping

• Place the chocolate and copha in a heat proof bowl, then put the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
• Mix it as it melts together.
• Once completely melted pour over your set caramel.
• Pop back into the fridge to set, this only takes about 30 mins.
• When you are ready to cut it up let it sit out for about 30 mins so the chocolate is soft enough to cut through without cracking.
• Keep stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

They don't really need to be decorated, but I did a few chocolate swirls on  top just to fancy it up, as I made the small ones for our wedding anniversary.

To make the swirls, melt some chocolate in a heat proof bowl over simmering water, once melted smear some onto a clean cool bench or the back of a tin, let it cool enough to start setting, use a metal spatula or butter knife to scrape the chocolate and make it swirl. I found the easiest way to do so was to push the knife away for me. It takes a little practise but looks fancy when you can it happening!

Happy Baking