Caramel tarts can be made in different ways, with various crusts such as puff pastry or chocolate, and fillings made from caramel sauce or a mixture of brown sugar, flour, vanilla essence, egg yolks, and milk. Toppings can include whipped cream or chocolate ganache.
There are several ways to make a caramel tart, and the methods someone chooses will depend on the results they want to produce. The crust on this type of tart can take on a number of different shapes, from puff pastry or store-bought crust to a standard pie crust or even a chocolate crust. There are also different approaches to making the caramel filling in a caramel tart, as well as any desirable toppings.
The crust of a caramel tart is the foundation and often the first thing a person should consider. Some recipes will call for the use of puff pastry, and unless someone has a great deal of experience and the inclination to create it, it’s usually best to simply purchase the puff pastry at a grocery store. It is also possible to make and use fresh crust, which is usually a standard crust or a chocolate crust that further accentuates the caramel flavors.
If someone chooses to make a fresh crust for a caramel tart, a recipe that uses both butter and shortening should be selected. Each type of fat imparts different characteristics to the crust, so by using both, the resulting crust will be tender and flaky. There are also crust recipes that include both vodka and water in the recipe. Vodka produces less gluten in the crust than water alone, resulting in a flakier crust as the vodka flavor and alcohol are cooked through. Someone may also want to use a chocolate crust for a caramel tart, which is often as simple as including cocoa powder in the crust recipe.
The caramel filling of a caramel tart can be made one of two ways. A common way is to make a simple caramel sauce by combining sugar, light corn syrup, some water, salt, and butter in a skillet. This is then heated to a boil and cooked without stirring until it is golden or amber in color and just starting to smell toasty. The caramel is then removed from the heat and heavy cream and heavy cream are added to create a thick, rich sauce. This filling is then poured into a crust that has been baked, and the caramel tart is chilled until set, usually several hours or overnight.
Other recipes will make the caramel filling following a similar process. Combine the brown sugar, flour, vanilla essence and egg yolks, then add the milk and bring the mixture to a boil. This is baked until a similar golden brown, poured into the crust and cooled. Different types of toppings may also be featured on a caramel tart, such as whipped cream or chocolate ganache. Some recipes call for a meringue sauce over the caramel sauce in the crust, which is baked to lightly brown the meringue and then chilled thoroughly before serving.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
