Yum! Try a chocolate fleur de sel caramel tart

Make this delicious recipe from Gesine Bullock-Prado

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>> this morning on "today's kitchen," delicious desserts. and we're all about caramel or caramel, whatever you choose --

>> you're not feeling yummy head to toe , tamron. the pore of thigh it forward is going to show us how to make a caramel tart with truffles.

>> either way . it's sticky and yummy either way .

>> first we have the crust.

>> the crust is a chocolate crust. that kind of gives you the crunch that you want on this. and you can also use more like a short dough crust in pie it forward. either way it's so fantasy.

>> can you buy it if you wanted to?

>> buy? i give you all the instructions.

>> okay.

>> call me up. i'll be your hotline. like butter ball.

>> we need a hotline.

>> we start with sugar, little corn syrup , pinch of salt and some water. and you want to simmer it and stir it until the sugar melts entire lip. the other thing you want to do is take a pastry brush that's a little wet and paint along the sides because these little crystals will kind of form on the sides and if you don't melt them in there it will turn into rock candy .

>> oh.

>> how frequently are you stirring this?

>> you stir it until the sugar is completely melted. you want to make sure the crystals aren't there. and then after you've done that you want to turn up the heat a little . you stop stirring. you don't want to agitate it anymore and shove in your little candy thermometer and you want to bring this particular caramel to 245 degrees.

>> and you need a specific candy thermometer ?

>> candy thermometer .

>> i have used a turkey thermometer and shoved it in there and licked off the turkey bits first.

>> oh. we like you.

>> i'm a professional. don't try this at home.

>> okay. so you've got it to temperature. it's this beautiful amber color and then you're going to want to add cream, butter and a little vanilla bean extract. i just warn you, watch when we put it in there, it's going to just --

>> not so much.

>> if you've got a lot of caramel in there -- anti-climactic. usually it does bubble up a lot! so you've got all that in there.

>> what's that sticky stuff?

>> let's say we put that in there. that's vanilla bean extract. i'd use my paws usually. but i'm being fancy. you want to stir this until the butter melts and is all incorporated then we would pour it into our shell.

>> okay.

>> so just imagine i did that. and then what happens when you pour it in you want to let it set for two to three hours until it's completely cool. otherwise you'll have molten caramel dripping and a lawsuit.

>> don't want that.

>> got to let it chill out.

>> we're going to have simmering.

>> make it simmer.

>> you're asking the wrong gal.

>> we have no answers for you.

>> alarms are going off. you want to bring this cream to a simmer.

>> okay.

>> because we're making truffles. and truffles go around the edges. you can make the truffles just to eat while you're making the tart.

>> we start with heavy cream .

>> once its simmering, add the butter and you add a little bit of corn syrup , which makes it shiny. you could leave it out.

>> okay.

>> pretend i put that in there and we're going to add the chocolate. the most important part. use the best quality chocolate you can find. that makes all the difference and get some extra so you can nibble while you make it. salt. you let it set. and then you stir, stir, stir.

>> for how long?

>> you let this sit until the sugar has melted.

>> the sugar -- -

>> the butter has melted.

>> we've got about a minute left.

>> this is what it looks like. this is the began aush that we're going to turn into the truffles that we're going to put on top of the tart. this is necessaryy but it doesn't matter. and then we scoopy, scoopy and then you roll it into the cocoa.

>> cocoa.

>> and you can see how these are things that you can just eat on their own.

>> eating. with ice cream , maybe.

>> you'll have cocoa powder all over your face. and then you'll just lovingly arrange the truffles.

>> okay.

>> the ones you have not eaten.

>> around the top.

>> would you put a little sugar on top?

>> that is the salt. so chewy, crunchy, salty, sweet.

>> and tasty.

>> and tasty.

>> christina, thank you. thank you so much. coming up pat o'brien co-hosts with kathie lee .

Show transcript

TODAY recipes

updated 3/30/2012 2:27:37 PM ET

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Give in to your chocolate craving with this recipe from Gesine Bullock-Prado's new book, "Pie it Forward."

Recipe: Chocolate fleur de sel caramel tart (on this page)

Recipe: Chocolate fleur de sel caramel tart

Gesine Bullock-Prado

Ingredients

Crust
1/2 batch chocolate cookie tart (recipe below)
1 batch soft caramel filling
Truffles
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon corn syrup (optional)
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup cocoa powder
For assembly
1/2 teaspoon large-grain fleur de sel (sea salt)
Chocolate cookie tart crust
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons brewed coffee, cooled
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, cold
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
Soft caramel filling
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅓ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Preparation

For the chocolate cookie tart, whisk together the eggs, condensed milk, and coffee in a small bowl. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse together the flour, cocoa, sugar, espresso powder (if using), and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles course cornmeal. While pulsing, add the liquid ingredients, and continue until the dough just holds together when you press it with your fingers. Turn the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Form it into a flat disk, cover it completely with the plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes.

To make the soft caramel filling, combine the sugar, 1/3 cup water, the corn syrup, and salt in a large, heavy saucepan and cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until the sugar has melted. Brush down the sides of the pan with a damp pastry brush to eradicate any errant sugar crystals. Stop stirring, increase the heat to medium-high, and clip on a candy thermometer. Heat the sugar syrup to 245 degrees F. Once the syrup has reached temperature, take the pan off the heat and carefully add the butter and cream. The mixture will bubble vigorously at first. Stand back and let the hot sugar do its molten dance. When the syrup has calmed, stir until the butter has completely melted. Add the vanilla and stir again. Pour the caramel immediately into your pastry vessel (or other vessel) of choice and allow it to cool and set completely, 1 to 2 hours.

For the crust of the tart, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch tart pan with the dough. Dock and freeze it for 20 minutes. Line the crust with parchment, fill it with pie weights, and bake it for 15 minutes. Remove the pie weights and parchment and bake the crust for 15 minutes more, or until the bottom is golden brown and baked through. Allow it to cool. Prepare the caramel filling and pour it into the cooled crust. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

For the truffles, simmer together the cream, butter, salt, and corn syrup, if using, in a small, heavy saucepan, making sure the butter melts completely. Take the pan from the heat and add the chocolate. Allow it to sit for a few minutes undisturbed, then whisk the mixture until the glaze emulsifies and all the chocolate melts. Cover and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Using a melon scoop, a teaspoon-sized cookie scoop, or a teaspoon, form small rounds of ganache and roll them into balls with your hands. Roll the truffles in cocoa powder to coat them evenly.

To assemble, place the truffles around the perimeter of the tart, sprinkle fleur de sel over all, and serve at room temperature.