Chocolate caramel tart – Life in the South

Chocolate caramel tart makes me think of the festive season that is ahead. I know a warmly baked pudding is something I would choose in this cold any day, but a sweet delectable chocolate caramel tart cannot be denied. It’s made with a chocolate buckwheat base, slightly bitter caramel filling, topped with a dark chocolate ganache topping.

I made this tart a couple years ago and ever since then I wanted to recreate it. This tart is perfect for the mid-week slump and even my husband that is a fast food lover by heart said it was tasty. So I guess this tart qualifies as a cheat meal for the connoisseurs out there. They won’t even know what they are missing!

How crazy is it though that it is, in fact, the end of the year almost. I seriously can’t believe that the festive season is around the corner and I have been seeing the Christmas displays in the windows already. Cheezy Christmas movies have taken over our television and I am certainly not ready yet. It’s like in a blink of an eye, summer is over and Christmas is almost here. I love this time of year indeed, the colors, the vibe of the festive season. It all is so nostalgic and familiar somehow, but this time around (like every year) it has come so fast.

Recipe

Prep Time

Cook Time

4 - 6 People

Serves 4

Intermediate

Difficulty 0

Ingredients

1/2 cup buckwheat groats or crushed oat biscuits
1 cup oats
1 1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup almond flour
4-5 Medjool dates
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup coconut cream
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/3 cup cocoa powder

Filling

1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup tahini
200ml coconut cream
2-3 medjool dates
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 tsp salt

Chocolate ganache

1/2 cup vegan chocolate
1/4 cup hazelnut butter
1-2 tbsp coconut cream

or use this ganache recipe if you don’t have vegan chocolate available.

Method

To make the base, place all the ingredients in a food processor and then pulse until it comes together.
If the base is too sticky or too dry either add more oats or liquid.
Press into a tart mold lined with parchment paper so it doesn’t stick and then start making the filling.
Add all the filling ingredients into the food processor, pulse until it’s smooth and then scoop out on to the base and place in the fridge.
Start making the ganache by melting the chocolate in the microwave (one minute at a time) or in a pot on the stove on medium heat.
Melt the chocolate well before adding the other ingredients and then scoop this on to the set caramel layer.
Place in the fridge for at least one hour before serving.
Add frozen berries for decoration and keep in the fridge for about one week.

Notes:

If you do not have a food processor, what you can do is blend the dry ingredients of the base together until slightly fine, add the coconut oil, mashed dates (soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes) add the rest of the ingredients and mix well and press into tart mold.
For the filling, you can swap the dates for extra maple syrup and blits or whisk it all up to make the filling light and fluffy. Set it a bit longer before adding the ganache.

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