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Ingredients
  • 500g Shortcrust pastry (I used store bought as I was also making a meal for 11 people)
  • **For the caramel**
  • 180ml Double Cream
  • 85g Unsalted Butter
  • 300g Caster Sugar
  • 120ml Water
  • 0.5tsp Sea Salt
  • **For the Ganache**
  • 120ml Heavy Cream
  • 140g Dark Chocolate (Over 70%), chopped very fin
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan assisted).
  2. Roll out the pastry until it will fit into a 9inch fluted pie dish. Transfer it to the dish, push against the edges and cut off some of the excess. Place in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes before baking. While the pastry is chilling, place a baking tray in the oven to pre-heat.
  3. Line with baking paper, weigh down with baking beans or rice, transfer to the oven and blind bake until the crust has browned (15-20 minutes). At this point, remove the paper & weights, return to the oven and brown the base of the pie for a further 5-10 minutes.
  4. Remove and leave to cool.
  5. While the case is cooling, make the caramel filling. Combine the butter and cream over a low heat in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring continuously, until the butter has just melted. Transfer to a small bowl while you do the next step.
  6. In a medium saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the water over a low heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat to high and leave, without stirring, for until it starts to turn a dark brown and the middle reads a temperature of about 140C with a thermometer.
  7. At this point, remove from the heat and very carefully (it will bubble and steam) pour in the cream mixture, stirring constantly.
  8. Return to a low heat, cooking for 5 minutes.
  9. Stir in the sea salt, pour into the pastry dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until it has set (you could do this the night before).
  10. Next, make the ganache. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan, pour it over the chocolate and leave to stand for at least 2 minutes before stirring to melt the chocolate. If it splits, add a little warmed golden syrup.
  11. Pour this over the pie, decorate as you see fit (I topped with caramels and some bronzed honeycomb), sprinkle with some more sea salt and chill until set.
Recipe by The Bearded Bakery at http://www.thebeardedbakery.com/baking/pastry/pies/salted-caramel-chocolate-tart/