Chocolate Caramel Tart (!?!)
Friday, April 10, 2009
This recipe goes out to all of you chocolate lovers—don’t say I never did anything for you. This chocolate and caramel tart has provided me with a bit of an adventure, nerd-style. You may recognize it from the cover of the current issue of Saveur which features it as part of a story on the beloved Marlow & Sons in Brooklyn. The tart looks beautiful, but I first come across the recipe a while back in Diner Journal, the quarterly culinary publication by the folks that own Diner and Marlow & Sons. If you haven’t already checked out Diner Journal, please do. It is such a beautiful publication, beautiful and inspiring. And if you haven’t already eaten at Marlow & Sons and Diner—do.
But back to the recipes: the two recipes for the same tart are quite different, and that is what intrigued me. In the issue of Diner Journal that contains the recipe, there is also a nice essay on piracy and the stealing of recipes in which they admit that the tart is originally a Claudia Fleming (Gramercy Tavern) recipe which they have been using in the restaurant and which has become their signature dessert. A comparison of the two recipe shows that there are lots of minor changes between the original (Claudia Fleming/Diner Journal) and the recipe that now appears in Saveur. I tracked down the original Claudia Fleming recipe and it much closer to the Diner Journal version than the Saveur version. I am wondering if the changes are a result of legal issues. Although it is nearly impossible to “copyright” a recipe and therefore they are essentially up for grabs, it might be in bad taste for Saveur to publish the Claudia Fleming recipe as a Marlow & Sons recipe and so they made a lot of little changes to make it their own. Which is the actual recipe that Marlow & Sons uses? In any case, after lots of careful review and reading other bloggers experiences with the Saveur recipe (it seems needlessly more complicated), I decided to stick to the original. It makes more sense to me.
So, how was it? It was amazing. I really don’t care about chocolate but even I could recognize it was special. And the people I made it for (yes, there was a good reason I made something with chocolate) loved it. It is pretty simple to make if you can get over your fear of caramel. One thing I like about the original recipe is that it does not have a temperature in the instructions. You judge the caramel’s doneness by color—much less intimidating.
Chocolate Caramel Tart (adapted from Claudia Fleming > Marlow & Sons > Saveur)
For the Chocolate Tart Dough
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
For the Caramel Filling
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons crème fraîche
For the Chocolate Ganache
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 1/2 ounces extra-bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Make the tart dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until combined, about 1 minute. Add egg yolk and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Sift in flour and cocoa powder, and beat on low speed until just combined. Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap, and form it into a disk; wrap well. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
Preheat oven to 325° F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the tart dough into a large circle 3/16 inch thick. Transfer the tart dough to a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and press into pan. If it falls apart at all just push it back together in the pan. Chill the tart shell in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Prick the shell all over with a fork. Line with parchment paper filled with pie weights or dried beans and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights, and bake until the pastry looks dry and set, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. (The tart shell can be made 8 hours ahead.)
Make the filling: Place 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan. Add sugar and corn syrup, and cook mixture over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until it becomes a dark-amber caramel (I removed it when it was sort of a medium amber since I knew it would continue to cook off heat), about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and carefully (the mixture will bubble up) and slowly add the heavy cream followed by the butter and crème fraîche. Stir until smooth. (The caramel can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated in a covered container.) Pour the caramel into the cooled tart shell and allow to set, first at room temperature and then in the regrigerator.
Make the ganache glaze: Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, and let stand for 2 minutes, then stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. Pour the ganazhe over the tart. Refrigerate until set.
Remove the tart from the refridgerator 5-10 minutes before you are ready to serve it. Cut the tart into slices and sprinkle each with Fleur de Sel.
April 10th, 2009 at 9:15 am
I really, really need to go to Marlow & Sons. Some weekend when the L train is running.
This looks incredible.
April 10th, 2009 at 9:21 am
omg, I don’t cook anymore really, but I am TOTALLY going to try making that! OMG! and you don’t even really love chocolate, but look how good you are to us chocolate lovers.
April 10th, 2009 at 9:23 am
Dude. WOW.
Do you exercise like a maniac, because you make such delicious looking rich food!
April 10th, 2009 at 9:59 am
You said Marlow & Sons and my ears perked up. I can’t be the only one who has a little crush on Sean Rembold! I find him just about as delicious as that tart! Which, um. YUM.
April 10th, 2009 at 10:56 am
I am one of the “people” that tasted this delight. There are only 3 words to describe it: OH MY GOD.
April 10th, 2009 at 10:57 am
ohhh… i saw that on the cover of saveur too and my mouth instantly started to water. it looks amazing.
p.s. i love diner journal too… it’s pretty dreamy.
April 10th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Maggie: yes, go!
Beth: I only ate one slice. The trick is making other people eat what I make. Also, the rest of my diet is pretty healthy. Or, I’m exercising as I type this…
Sarah: thanks for the tes”tim”onial.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Oh – that looks so good!!! Oh, man… my mouth is watering!
April 10th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
All: for those of you who prefer to judge the caramel by its temperature, it should reach about 365° F when it is done. I took it off of the heat at 360° F.
April 10th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
This looks and sounds great :)
April 10th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Love that last pic!!! :) This is amazingly delicious looking. Yummmmm!
April 10th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Nice job with the last picture :) I need to get a tart pan!
April 11th, 2009 at 3:11 am
Yummm…that oozy caramel is literally making my mouth water!
April 11th, 2009 at 6:56 am
HOLY FUCK!
(I’m sorry, am I allowed to use such profanity on your pristine site?! I just couldn’t help myself. I literally wrote the first words that came out of my mouth when I saw that lil slice of heaven.)
April 11th, 2009 at 9:27 am
I heart you for posting this.
April 11th, 2009 at 11:59 am
I am a sick chocoholic, and I just make this last week!!! It was so, so, so good…and I’ve just finished my post, which I’m still gonna post. Hope you don’t mind….It was a finale to an amazing- b-day dinner.
April 11th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
If the caramel is made and refrigerated several days before the tart is made, must it be heated before pouring into the tart shell? Presumably…
April 11th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Hi Deborah: Yes, if you make the caramel in advance, simply warm it up so it is pourable and then proceed with the recipe.
April 12th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Thanks, Tim.
April 13th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
UNBELIEVABLE!!! Thanks for the recipe!
April 13th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Food Porn at its best. I should be paying to view this.
April 13th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
This was amazing and a HUGE hit with Easter dinner crowd last night. I did have trouble with the crust – it was super crumbly. I ended up rolling out small sections and then piecing it together in the pan. The caramel was really easy but be careful not to burn it! It came out perfectly the 2nd time I made it :-)
April 13th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Hi Larkyn: I’m glad you liked the tart! Yes, the crust isn’t the best, but luckily it is very forgiving and you can just sort of press it into the pan. Thanks for writing.
April 14th, 2009 at 11:54 am
This is some serious food porn.
April 14th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
I have been staring at the cover of my Saveur for a month now, trying to find an occasion to make this cake. It just looks incredible! I love the chocolate crust.
April 15th, 2009 at 7:24 am
I am in love with you, Tim. I am a poor, poor college student with no money, but my next paycheck is going towards all the ingredients in this recipe….forget vegetables, laundry, and books! This looks like it will be all I need in my life.
April 15th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Thank you thank you thank you! While I made this for dinner for two I’ve had to slowly give away pieces to anyone who comes over (a neighbor, a friend taking me to get my car from the shop, the waiter where we go for girls’ night on Mondays almost got one but I was running late and forgot) Oh, it’s beautiful. Also, I think it would make incredible, easily handed out cookies. That’s what I’m going for the next time.
April 18th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Thanks for writing a little bit about the difference between the two recipes – good to know. I had bookmarked Saveur’s recipe, but will be using Claudia’s book version instead now. Or – perhaps for quicker gratification – simply going to M&S myself, like, NOW.
April 18th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Yes, Luisa, I think a trip to Marlow & Sons is always the best solution.
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:45 pm
this is simply amazing… your blog is fantastic…
May 28th, 2009 at 1:38 am
yes please! I am loving this blog. I was just at Marlow & Sons while on vacation last month. It’s rare, living in Portland, that I have food envy in other cities, but M&S gets my jealousy going every single time.
June 20th, 2009 at 10:50 pm
Crust: Check. Forgiving and a little of it stuck to the parchment paper, but not worried.
Carmel: Check. Beautiful and warming near the stove vent as the crust cools.
Ganache to be made first thing tomorrow morning. Husband and step dad (and my two kids are very anxious for tomorrow evening! Reviews to follow!
June 25th, 2009 at 2:32 am
hey ! so glad i discovered your site – thanks to Bedlam of Beefy. i obviously have a lot of catching up to do here – everything looks tempting and delicious, great photos ! but helloooo, i didn’t have a hard time deciding where to start. HERE !!! looks divine !! and anything of claudia flemings’ tastes divine too ! can’t wait to try . .
July 10th, 2009 at 7:31 am
Hi, thanks for the recipe.
What should I do if I didn’t cook the sugar/water/syrup mixture for long enough? After I added the butter and cream it was still rather liquidy. Can I fix it?
July 10th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Hi Elly: I don’t know of a way to fix it at that point, sorry. Anyone else?
July 24th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
I am speechless. AMAZING!
August 28th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Chocolate and caramel…my fave dessert combo. Forget birthday cake; I’m making birthday tart for myself! Thanks for the recipe!
September 4th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
OMG, my blood sugar skyrocketed just by looking at this!My kids would be whirling like a top after they get a slice of this :) Love it!
September 12th, 2009 at 5:54 am
I made this for a dessert party and it was a huge hit! Came out looking exactly like the pictures! Thanks for the great recipe!
September 28th, 2009 at 6:07 am
Thank you for this recipe! I live in the UK so i wouldn’t have found it otherwise! My boyfriend and I had a wonderful time making this over the weekend and had an even better time eating it! If anything this recipe taught me how important patience is when baking! There was a number of times where my willpower was tested to the limit and I have to admit I came close to eating the caramel out of the bowl!
Thanks again!
September 28th, 2009 at 6:20 am
I’m glad it worked and was worth the effort!
October 25th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
I have not yet made this dessert but am wondering if those of you who have think that a shortbread crust would work?
December 5th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
OMG- this is my very favorite dessert from my very favorite Williamsburg restaurant!! I used to get it every year on my birthday when I lived in South W’burg. I live in Mexico now, where every now and then I still DREAM about this tart. This year (assuming I can get all the ingredients and/or sub out the ones I can’t find), I’m gonna MAKE it for my birthday! THANK YOU!!! (is there a substitution for créme fraiche?)
December 5th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
Hi Missy! I am glad you love this dessert! It is amazing. Creme Fraiche can be made by combining some heavy cream and buttermilk. Google and you’ll find plenty of recipes for it. Since you are in Mexico, I am wondering if you could just substitute Crema, which seems so similar to creme fraiche. Let me know what you end up doing!
December 6th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Thanks, Tim! I did a little recon and it sounds like crema will work perfectly. I will definitely keep you posted. Many thanks!
December 6th, 2009 at 10:43 am
PS I’m also considering using Mexican cocoa powder, which has a hint of canela. Never have I looked so forward to having another birthday…
December 12th, 2009 at 9:40 am
I’ve been making this tart {or a version of it} since Claudia’s book The Last Course came out in 2001, and it never fails, but I had nearly forgotten about it until you {and Saveur} made it look so irresistibly good. I read this last night, and I woke up thinking about it this morning.
Your site rocks! Love your concept, your photos, and stories. And love that we love the same places in Brooklyn.
December 14th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Oh my, this looks amazing. Lots of inspiring things…
December 15th, 2009 at 8:09 am
That tart looks obscenely good! Your entry has really set my baking teeth on edge and now I am itching to bake and eat that tart. On days like this, I wish I could visit the restaurant and get myself a slice of that. Sucks to be an ocean away. D:
December 16th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
I just made that tart and it looks amazing (same as the pic), I can’t wait to try it after it cools.
December 18th, 2009 at 10:03 am
this looks so beautiful – i’m going to make it for a dinner tonight. one question: how cool/set does the caramel have to be before the ganache can be added? many thanks for posting such a beautiful recipe!
December 18th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Hi Jenna, The caramel should be pretty firm. After it gets to room temperature, let it spend at least a couple of hours in the fridge. So, start baking now!
December 18th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
thanks Tim!
December 18th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
I tried making the tart last night for a holiday get together. After two attempts at making caramel, I found a consistency that I liked. Two questions: Is the caramel supposed to ooze out when you serve it a room temperature? As well, is the ganache supposed to be solid on top of the tart after refrigeration? People liked the taste but I am not sure if the consistency was correct on my part.
December 18th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
hi sarah! when i have made the tart, the caramel is fairly soft (ooze!) at room temperature and the ganache is fairly solid after refrigerating. It all softens up a little bit as it sits. I would guess that taking it out of fridge about 30-45 minutes prior to serving is perfect.
January 4th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
That’s one sexy tart!
February 1st, 2010 at 11:36 am
Oh my, love this recipe! we will do it soon. also, loveour blog. found it on Stumbleon. best from Montecito, California.
February 7th, 2010 at 9:12 pm
This was one of the three desserts I baked this weekend and it was the hit of the progressive dinner party. People could not stop talking about it. I am running off more copies of this recipe because I gave mine away and several neighbors have also requested it.
February 8th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Oh, yay! I am so glad it was good!
February 15th, 2010 at 1:36 am
Beautifully and apparently tasty. Thank you.