Liam Charles
It’s my birthday – 24 years on this glorious place we call Earth. We’re going to celebrate the Liam way with something tasty and indulgent that will leave you wanting more: chocolate pastry, ganache and – trust me when I say this – the most sensational peanut butter caramel sandwiched in between the two. And after you’ve made this super-fudgy tart, stick a candle in each slice, yeah? Cheers.
Salted peanut butter caramel and chocolate tart
Prep 10 min
Chill 1 hr+
Cook 2 hr
Serves 8
For the pastry
260g plain flour
2 tsp cocoa powder
130g cold butter, chopped into small pieces
2 tbsp icing sugar
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp cold water
For the salted peanut butter caramel
180ml double cream
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
370g caster sugar
60g liquid glucose
300g unsalted butter,cut into small chunks
3 tbsp smooth peanut butter
100g dry roasted or honey roasted peanuts
For the topping
100g milk chocolate
100g dark chocolate
250ml double cream
To finish
30g honey roasted nuts, roughly chopped
½ tsp fine sea salt
Put a 25cm x 30cm baking tray in the freezer. Tip the flour, cocoa powder, butter and icing sugar into a food processor and blitz until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs. With the motor running, add the egg yolk and water, and blitz until it starts to clump together. Tip the dough on to a lightly floured surface, then quickly knead into a smooth ball. Flatten into a thick disc, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Pour the cream and vanilla into a saucepan and put over a medium heat. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and set aside.
Put another saucepan over a medium heat and, once hot, add a third of the sugar and the liquid glucose. Heat slowly until the sugar crystals dissolve and the mix turns into a light caramel. Add the remaining sugar and cook for about 15 minutes, until you have an amber caramel. Pour in the warm cream, mix well, then remove from the heat. Add the chunks of butter a little at a time, mixing to melt, then stir in the peanut butter.
Put the pan back on the heat and bring the caramel to 120C (use a food thermometer). Remove the tray from the freezer, pour in the caramel, stir (this will help the cooling process), then fold in the peanuts.
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin, then lift into a 20-22cm fluted tart tin and press into the corners. Trim the excess with scissors, leaving a 1cm overhang, then line with baking paper and baking beans. Put on an oven tray, bake for 18 minutes, remove the paper and beans, and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Trim the pastryto the height of the tin, then, once cool, pour in the caramel so it’s three-quarters full.
Put both chocolates and the cream in a heatproof bowl over a bain-marie, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted. Cool to room temperature, then pour over the caramel. Pop the tart in the fridge for 30-40 minutes, so the ganache sets slightly.
Warm an offset spatula in boiling water, then use to swirl a spiral effect on top of the tart. Sprinkle with nuts and salt, and serve.
Courtesy: theguardian
