This salted dark chocolate tart is extra rich and so easy to make! A buttery oreo crust filled with homemade salted caramel and creamy, dreamy, salted dark chocolate ganache. This is the perfect recipe for chocolate lovers and would make a great Valentine’s Day dessert!
I’ve never made a tart before but, this one was so incredibly easy! I got inspired to make this after looking through some pictures of beautiful dark chocolate tarts. Aren’t they just a pretty dessert with the fluted crust and glossy ganache?!
If you’ve never made a tart before, you can read on for some tips – I learned a lot after making my first one. It’s really simple if you have the right tools and tips! Give this salted dark chocolate tart a try as your first attempt at making your own tart! The rich and salty, yet sweet, extra dark chocolate dessert is the best reward!
Tips for Making the Best Salted Dark Chocolate Tart
I always avoided tarts for two reasons. One, I had really only seen fruit tart recipes and, to be honest, I’m more of a chocolate dessert kind of girl! Two, how the heck do you get the tart out of the pan?! Well, after making my first tart successfully, I can say that it is quite simple and easy to learn! Read on for a few tips if this is your firs time making a chocolate tart.
Get the Right Pan
I really do think this makes all difference between a beautiful and perfect tart versus a crumbled and broken one. No one wants that! I would suggest finding a good, nonstick tart pan with a removable bottom. A nonstick surface allows you to pop that baby out of there without having to worry if the whole thing is going to be left behind in the pan. And the removable bottom helps you to push the tart out of the pan without having to flip it over. No more crossing your fingers and hoping that your hard work isn’t ruined!
This pan from Amazon would be a great, inexpensive choice if you are wanting to give this salted dark chocolate caramel tart a try!
Crush the Cookies Very Finely
If you want your crust on your tart to stay intact, be sure to crush your oreo cookies to a fine crumb. I removed the filling from my cookies so that it was just the chocolate wafer part because I didn’t want my tart to be too sweet! I would recommend using a food processor to get the finest crumbs for the crust. This will make the crust stick together better so that the tart does not crumble when you remove it from the pan!
Chop the Chocolate Into Small Chunks for the Ganache
I made two mistakes when making the ganache for this salted dark chocolate tart. One, I did not chop my chocolate up small enough to melt properly. And two, I let the heavy cream get to a boil, which made it way to hot to make a smooth ganache.
The secret to the best, smoothest ganache is to make sure your chocolate bits are small enough to melt quickly. After that, you will want to be sure that the heavy cream doesn’t boil. Just bring it to a simmer and then remove immediately from the heat and pour over your chocolate. If you don’t follow these tips, you will end up with a grainy and separated ganache with very concentrated chocolate parts and oil surrounding it. The chocolate and heavy cream parts have to be integrated carefully! Otherwise, the heat from the cream will cause the fats to separate and you won’t be able to re-incorporate them. I made this mistake and ended up having to start over. But, the ending result was worth it!
I hope that you enjoy making this salted dark chocolate tart! It would be the perfect Valentine’s Day dessert and is very easy, so you can make it in no time!
If you’re looking for other chocolate recipes for Valentine’s Day, check these out!
- Dark Chocolate Snack Cake
- Coffee Caramel Sheet Cake with Espresso Butter Cream
- Chocolate Sour Cream Snack Cake
- Dark Chocolate Mocha Muffins
- Flourless Chocolate Cake with Espresso Whipped Cream
- Swirled Salted Caramel Skillet Brownie
As always, be sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram if you make my recipe or use #bucketsofyum in your photos! I love to see what you are baking.
Salted Dark Chocolate Tart
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1½ cup finely crushed oreo cookies (with frosting removed, about 2/3 of one box of cookies)
- ⅓ cup salted butter, melted
For the Homemade Caramel
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp salted butter, cubed
- dash of salt
For the Dark Chocolate Ganache
- 4 cups extra dark chocolate, chopped into small bits
- 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp flaky sea salt
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Remove the frosting filling from the oreo cookies and place in a food processor. Process until the oreo cookies turn into fine crumbs.
- In a small bowl, combine the oreo cookie crumbs and the melted butter. Mix together until well incorporated.
- Press the crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
For the Homemade Caramel
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water. Cook, shaking occasionally until the sugar is melted and almost clear (do not boil).
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil without stirring. Cover and boil for 2 minutes while tightly holding the lid on the pan. Uncover and shake pan. Cook 1 to 2 minutes longer, or until the mixture is amber. Be sure to shake the pan several times so that the mixture does not burn.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream (the mixture will bubble). Stir until smooth. Stir in the butter (the mixture will boil) and salt. Pour into the cooled crust and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
For the Chocolate Ganache
- Place the finely chopped chocolate in a large bowl.
- In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream just to a slight simmer. Do not boil. Slowly pour over the chopped chocolate and let the cream sit for 1 minute to begin melting the chocolate. Slowly whisk the mixture until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract and let stand for 20 minutes.
- Pour the chocolate ganache over the caramel in the tart pan. Sprinkle with sea salt and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to set. Remove from the refrigerator about 45 minutes before slicing, serving, and enjoying!
Notes
- Tart can be stored at room temperature in a cool place for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days
- Recipe adapted from Taste of Home