If you love salted caramel and chocolate, this Salted Caramel Tart is your dream come true! The creamy caramel filling is made with condensed milk, a secret trick for making perfect soft-set caramel without using a candy thermometer. With a biscuit crust and luxurious chocolate ganache topping, it’s hard to believe you only need 6 ingredients to make this!
“OMG, that caramel tart!”, my friend exclaimed. “You’ve probably given my whole family diabetes, but OMG!!!!”
I grinned, gleefully. “I know, it’s INSANE, isn’t it?”
This is probably the most indulgent dessert I know how to make. It’s sinfully decadent. The caramel filling is truly incredible – it’s smooth, creamy, thick and so soft.
It’s made using a caramel base of butter plus sugar (for the caramel flavour) which is then combined with condensed milk. Once baked, it sets, almost like a soft custard. It’s different to the traditional method of making caramel fillings which require the caramel to come to a specific temperature at which point it will set to be a soft creamy caramel, rather than runny or hard. i.e. Candy thermometer required.
I have it in my head that this is the Australian way of making a creamy caramel. I’d love to know if anyone knows otherwise. I feel like it’s an undiscovered secret because I never seem to see caramel tarts/pies/bars/slices etc made using condensed milk.
This tart is made with a simple biscuit crust. That caramel was made for using as a glue to suction up all the loose crumbs when you inhale your slice!
This is how I press the crumbs into the tart tin – using something flat and round with straight walls. I’m using a measuring cup here. Use it to press the crumbs into the wall and a knife or your finger to level out the top of the crust, and to level out the base of the tart.
As for the topping – what else could it be other than a chocolate ganache? 🙂 This ganache has a slightly different chocolate to cream ratio than traditional ganache recipes (which are usually 1:1) so the chocolate is soft but cuttable without smearing so you get nice neat tart slices.
Many readers have jokingly noted how my very recognisable hands have been absent in videos recently. Shooting videos by yourself is seriously hard work when you have a simple home set up like I do. I’ve been thinking about getting a studio, setting things up “properly”. A permanent video shoot area with studio lights, a kitchen, getting a permanent support team and making my life a little – ALOT – easier.
But for me, one of the things I love about my blog is how personal it is. Everything that you see is made in my pokey kitchen, the recipes are my own, created by me, tested by me, taste tested by family and friends. The larger a team gets, the less personal this website will become. Does anyone here seriously think that Martha Stewart creates every recipe that ends up on her website, her magazines, cookbooks and TV shows?
I enjoy making my own videos, shooting them, editing them. In a bid to make my life slightly easier, I get my mother or a helper to come in once a week to help with food prep, double/triple/quadruple test recipes, and most importantly in my world, help with the washing up.
And because everybody has nicer hands than me, I can never resist calling on my help to be my video hand model. 😂 Plus the incredible convenience of not having to wipe my hands and dash around to check the camera with every single micro step in every video! For a recipe like this, if I shot it myself, I would have to do that about 40 times – at least.
I feel like this post is a little all over the place and a bit stilted.
I’ll be honest. I’m a bit tarted out. I’m really trying to drum up the enthusiasm for what is possibly the most raved about dessert ever by my taste testers – and that includes the homeless man at the dog park.
But I’ve made this seven times in a week and half!! Testing + a couple of video fails.
As I said, I’m tarted out!!
My friends are not. I definitely did not run out of willing taste testers to even take the ones I wasn’t 100% happy with. 🙂
To be clear, Dozer was not one of those taste testers. No chocolate for dogs!! – Nagi xx
For Caramel Monsters
-
Caramel Slice (aka Millionaire’s Shortbread!) – the great Aussie favourite!
-
Peanut Butter Caramel Tart – dangerously easy
-
Sweetened Condensed Milk Caramel – just place a can of condensed milk in the slow cooker!
More slices and bars
-
Strawberry Bars – made with tons of fresh strawberries!
-
Easiest Ever Raspberries Jam Bars
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Salted Caramel Tart
Ingredients
Base:
- 225 g / 8 oz plain sweet biscuits, about 2 cups (packed) crushed (Arnott’s Marie Crackers, Graham Crackers, Note 1 for Digestives)
- 150 g / 5 oz unsalted butter , melted (Note 1 for Digestives)
Caramel:
- 100 g / 7 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup / 200g (packed) brown sugar
- 2 cans sweetened condensed milk (395g / 14oz each)
- 1 3/4 tsp salt (2 ½ - 3 tsp salt flakes)
Chocolate Ganache Topping:
- 1/3 cup heavy/thickened cream
- 150 g / 5 oz dark chocolate melts / chips
- Sea salt flakes, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160C/320F. Grease and line the base only of a 23cm / 9" tart tin with a loose base. (Or a springform pan of a similar size)
- Roughly break up biscuits and place in a food processor, then whizz until fine crumbs form. Or do this step with a ziplock bag and rolling pin.
- Pour crumbs into a bowl, add melted butter, mix until it looks like wet sand and no dry crumbs remain. Pour into tin, then press firmly into base and sides – use something flat like a cup to assist (refer to video).
- Transfer to tray (safe handling), place in oven and bake for 10 minutes, then remove and cool slightly (5 minutes in fridge).
Caramel:
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and whisk to combine – butter may not incorporate fully.
- Once it starts bubbling and the sugar is completely melted, pour in the condensed milk, whisking as you go. Whisk constantly until you see steam coming off the caramel (~ 4 minutes), then remove from heat.
- Add salt (adjust to taste), then pour the caramel into the tart base.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges of the caramel surface is golden and the surface has a “skin” on it, but the caramel is still soft and the centre jiggles slightly (see video for demo.)
- Cool on counter while you make the chocolate.
Chocolate Ganache:
- Place cream and chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Microwave in 2 x 30 second bursts, stirring in between, until smooth.
- Set aside for 10 minutes to thicken slightly, then pour over the base. Smooth top or make swirls like I did (just wait until the chocolate thickens slightly). Sprinkle with sea salt flakes.
- Refrigerate for 1 ½ hours to allow chocolate to set. Then remove and bring to room temperature before slicing to serve. Handle carefully when sliding the tart off the base - or just leave it on to be safe and just remove the sides.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Salted Caramel Tart recipe video. So you can see how soft that caramel is and don’t miss the Dozer cameo at the end!!
LIFE OF DOZER
Checking himself out while I was making the recipe video!! 😂
Vera G says
Nagi, Nagi WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO(heartache)???? Am glad Dozer wasn’t tasting any by now he would be as round as barol of vine, ha, ha!! Love the photos. Am having Friend in Sydney doing the same thing, blogging, her own cooking Italian background, own pastes, her own videos etc. BUT BIH HOME RENOVATIONS AND KITCHEN IS NOT DONE AND YET SHE COMES UP WITH THE MOST AMAZING COOKING AND BAKING. WILL SEND YOU SOME OF HER PHOTOS. HOPE YOU WOULDNT MINE ME DOING SO? Do not want you be upset as I REALY like what you doing. Also in Melb. real winter, cold, windy, rain, time to stay indoor. Regards to you both, keep warm. PS What does your Mum think of big fat cake!! ??
Nagi says
Of course Vera, I’d love to see!!! Mum didn’t get any of this big fat cake 🙂 But no doubt she was rolling her eyes, wondering what happened to my “diet”! 😉 N xx
Fiona Felice says
This is an absolute no-no for me to indulge in – NO Salted Caramel Tart for me! The naughty little voice in my head started screaming “must have” “must have”… (sigh) ok, I did watch your clever video, I admit…I began salivating as I found myself pushing the ‘print’ button! What? Long story short now that the recipe is printed out I can’t possible let the paper and ink go to waste and yep, “must have” – “MUST have”…
Nagi says
A TINY sliver Fiona! I promise you, just one bite is even such a treat 🙂 Pop the rest in the freezer to avoid temptation!!! (Pre cut into tiny slices!!!) N xx
Anita in Louisiana says
Oh Nagi please don’t change your blog. I love your recipes (!), and I have no doubt you could grow as big as you want, but you, your home, Dozer and how you share your life is why I can’t wait to read each and every post.
The dramatic music was perfect for this amazing looking tart – my bookclub is in for a treat this weekend! Thank you for what you do.
Nagi says
I really struggle with music!!! Finding decent (affordable) music for videos is like finding a needle in a haystack 😩 I’m so happy to hear you say that Anita, I’ve been grappling with that idea for a while now and I really do like keeping this in my home rather than making it more of a business. I know that will hinder “growth” but I think lifestyle and enjoyment is more important! N xx
Laura M says
Double ditto!
Nagi says
❤️
Naomi says
Dozer is looking at himself thinking what a handsome dog he is.
The tart looks amazing and sinfully rich. I will be pinning this one for a special occasion. I love your blog, and I love Dozer!
Nagi says
Thanks so much Naomi! I think Dozer was checking himself out to make sure he looked OK in the clip I included in the recipe video…. you know how they say the camera adds 10 pounds? 😉 N xx
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
I love the photos!! Thank you for posting how you took it — I’m in the market for a new tripod. The one I have is so doggone jealous of my nicer camera it keeps trying to kill the camera when my head is turned. Jealousy is such an evil thing!! Now, as far as your tart — OMG it is sinful. Yes, sinful! No wonder it’s called tart. Can’t wait to make this and Dozer looks so cute looking at himself. 🙂 Have a great weekend.
Nagi says
Manfrotto! It’s really great 🙂 It also has an arm that comes out so you can set it up overhead style 🙂 N xx
María says
The cake is beautiful and looks so tasty, but I always come back for Dozer! 🙂 Such a cutie pie.
Nagi says
I LOVE that 🙂 N xx
Angela says
These pictures are stunning! I really enjoy reading your blog, you have the best recipes.
Nagi says
Thanks for the lovely compliment Angela! So pleased you enjoy my recipes 🙂 N xx
paul e says
FYI – a little food chemistry. the difference between hard candy and soft candy – corn syrup OR honey they control the crystallization along with heat. your condensed milk probably has corn syrup added. one of my fav desserts banana foster but sub mango instead much better texture and easier to control. I pan fry white sugar and a little brown or use turbino if available. I do enjoy seeing your dishes. thank you – also try adding some dark rum to melted chocolate – you get a very low melting point solid that might make a good filling , tasty too.
Nagi says
Yes you’re absolutely right. Condensed milk is stabilised to make it easier to turn into a soft set caramel. Banana foster? I haven’t heard of that! I must check it out. And I would definitely be subbing the banana – I hate banana!!! N xx
Julia says
Oh my Goodness! What a deliciousness! By the way, for a second I thought that Dozer’s body was supporting one of the tripod legs lol. 🙂 🙂
Nagi says
Ha!!! He would be the most unreliable tripod support ever! 😉 N xx
Dorothy Dunton says
Hi Nagi. What are you trying to do to me girl??? We are Just barely into the strawberry cake and now you show me this gorgeous tart, I remember how good your caramel slice was (and how G got most of it)! I’m going to have the fast for a week sometime soon!
Nagi says
It’s payback for when you sent me so many amazing cake recipes last year within the space of a few weeks! Remember the pumpkin and apple cakes? 🙂 N x
Dorothy Dunton says
Nagi, you make me laugh! I don’t usually associate paybacks with delicious cakes and treats, so please let’s continue and make paybacks a regular thing!
Tara says
Oh my this looks decadent. I want to make it with a gingernut biscuit base!
Nagi says
YES that would be amazing! 🙂 N x