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Katie and I have been pretty excited about our first post for the Holiday Recipe Exchange. After months of organizing while enjoying some of my No Bake Cookies in the process – we are ready to launch the series today with our first sponsor – Scharffen Berger. If you’ve heard of Scharffen Berger, you know their name and brand is pretty much synonymous with high quality dark chocolate.
Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker is the first bean to bar artisan chocolate maker established in the United States within the past 50 years. With a full line of eating and home baking products, Scharffen Berger® chocolate is made from the world’s best cacao beans that are perfectly fermented and roasted, elevating your classic recipes with new depths of flavor.
I came across this recipe for a Chocolate Caramel Tart months ago and knew immediately that this would be the recipe that I would be featuring for the Scharffen Berger Holiday Recipe Exchange. In my book, there is nothing more delicious and luxurious than a perfectly salted caramel dessert – add in Scharffen Berger chocolate and you pretty much have my version of dessert bliss.
These tarts are not only decadent, rich and buttery, it’s knock-your-socks-off good! If I’m being honest, these mini tarts were my main source of nourishment for about a 24 hour period. Not that I’m encouraging this behavior – just warning ya!
October 1st marked the the launch of Scharffen Berger Chocolate’s Elevate a Classic Dessert contest. Enter with an inspired dessert for your chance at prizes totaling $20,000!
For more Scharffen Berger deliciousness, be sure to check out Katie’s recipe for Dark Chocolate Orange Pudding.
Chocolate Caramel Tarts
Ingredients:
FOR THE CRUST
1 1⁄2 cups flour 1⁄4 cup plus 1 tablespoon dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder 1⁄4 teaspoon. kosher salt 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and softened 1⁄2 cup plus 2 tablespoons. confectioners' sugar 2 egg yolks, room temperature 1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extractFOR THE CARAMEL
1 1⁄2 cups sugar 3 tablespoons light corn syrup 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt 6 tablespoons water 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 6 tablespoons heavy cream 1 tablespoon sour cream 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extractFOR THE GANACHE
1⁄2 cup heavy cream 4 oz. Scharffen Berger Bittersweet Chocolate, finely chopped Vanilla Fleur de Sel for garnish (optional)Directions:
Notes:
- My mini tartlet pans were 3.5 inches in diameter - To make a full size 9 inch tart: Transfer dough to a 9" fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and press dough evenly into bottom and sides of pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Prick the tart shell all over with a fork and bake until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool. Fill with caramel chill for 4-5 hours and top with ganache and chill for 4-5 hours. Slice and serve cold. - If you not have vanilla Fleur de Sel, a simple sea salt will work perfectly. - Recipe adapted from SaveurFollow Jamie on Instagram. We love to see what you're baking from MBA! Be sure to tag @jamiemba and use the hashtag #mbarecipes!
How To Participate
For a chance to win a $150 Scharffen Berger Chocolate Gift Basket:
- Write and post a recipe on your blog featuring CHOCOLATE .
- Include “Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Scharffen Berger.” in your blog post.
- No blog? Just leave your recipe in the comments section.
- Add your link to the widget on either GoodLife Eats or My Baking Addiction (we have the same widget code, so only add it on one site).
- Submit your post before Oct. 10, 11:59 AM.
- Anyone can participate in the link up, but the prizes will ship to US addresses only.
- More detailed info are available here.
Link Up Your Recipes:
Love any of the recipes featured in today’s Holiday Recipe Exchange? If so, be sure to to use the Ziplist Web Recipe Clipper to add your holiday favorites to your online recipe box.
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This Week’s Prize:
$150 Scharffen Berger Chocolate Gift Basket (1 winner), provided by Scharffen Berger.
- 1 Copy of The Essence of Chocolate
- 1 – Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder 6oz
- 1 – Sweetened Natural Cocoa Powder 8oz
- Roasted Cacao Nibs 6oz
- 2 – 99% Unsweetened Baking Bars 9.7oz
- 2 – 70% Bittersweet Baking Bars 9.7oz
- 2 – 62% Semisweet Baking Bars 9.7oz
- 2 – 70% Bittersweet Baking Chunks 6oz
- 2 – 62% Semisweet Baking Chunks 6oz
Recipe Theme Schedule:
These are amazing! My son and I make them together.
HOMEMADE DOUBLE-STUFFS
Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies
Adapted from several sources
For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Scharffen Berger cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (Leave this out if you are feeding kids!)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons (1 1/3ish sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg
For the filling:
1/2 cup (1 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (Yes, use the shortening. It matters.)
4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (Maybe more…)
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, coffee, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Make rounded teaspoons of batter (I use a small ice cream scoop) and put them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Make sure the cookies are crisp if you want the real Oreo experience. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
4. To make the filling, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and using a mixer at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy. Check the consistency as you beat – the filling needs to be thick enough to hold the cookies together. Add sugar if necessary to thicken it.
5. To assemble the cookies, start by pairing up the cookies. Try to put two together that are similar in size. Using a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch round tip (or a freezer bag with a corner clipped off), pipe teaspoon-size (or more!) blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place the matching cookie on top of the cream. Lightly squish to work the filling evenly to the edges of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream.
6. Dunk the cookies in a glass of cold milk. And enjoy!
Wow this tart looks amazing! And I am so excited about the Holiday Recipe Exchange!
Your tart looks absolutely gorgeous! I was just wondering, would they customize the prize for people with peanut/nut allergies? Just thought I’d ask. :-)
Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Layer Cake
Printer-Friendly Version
Ingredients:
For the cake:
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2¼ cups sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2¼ tsp. baking soda
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. salt
6 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. buttermilk
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. brewed coffee*
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
For the filling:
1 cup sugar, divided
¼ cup water
¼ cup heavy cream
Generous pinch of sea salt, such as fleur de sel
4 large egg whites
1½ cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
For the frosting:
12 oz. good quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
¼ cup very hot water
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. (18 tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
Pinch of salt
Fleur de sel, for finishing
*Note – Coffee is used as a flavor enhancer in many chocolate cake recipes. Even if you are not a fan of coffee, don’t be afraid of this – it’s still chocolate cake, and you don’t taste the coffee.
Directions:
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Grease and flour the edges of 3 8-inch baking pans, shaking out the excess. Line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed to blend. Add the vegetable oil, buttermilk, coffee, eggs, and vanilla to the bowl and mix on low speed until well blended and completely incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans about 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Remove the parchment paper.
To make the caramel buttercream filling, place ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a medium saucepan. Mix in the water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Stop stirring and let the caramel cook, gently swirling from time to time, until it is a deep amber color (test a drop on a white plate or bowl if necessary), watching it carefully to avoid burning. Remove the mixture from the heat and slowly whisk in the cream and then the salt. Set aside and let cool.
Combine the egg whites and the remaining ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes. (The bowl should be cool to the touch.)
Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated. If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (or longer – don’t worry, it will come together!) Blend in the cooled caramel until smooth and completely incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
To make the frosting, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Set aside and let cool to room temperature. In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and water and stir until smooth. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar and salt. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, gradually blend in the melted and cooled chocolate until well incorporated. Blend in the cocoa powder-water mixture until smooth.
To assemble the cake, level the cake layers if necessary. Place one of the cake layers on a cake board or serving platter. Top with half of the caramel buttercream and smooth in a thick, even layer. Place a second cake layer on top and smooth the remaining caramel buttercream over that. Place the final cake layer on top. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the chocolate frosting and smooth with an offset spatula. If desired, use additional frosting to pipe decorative accents on the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, sprinkle with fleur de sel.
Source: adapted from Sweetapolita, filling and frosting originally from Martha Stewart
I died. It’s bad/good that I currently have every ingredient at my disposal without warranting a trip to the grocery store. This could be bad/good. Thanks for sharing!!
Jamie, in another life I would be a foodie and participate in this fun exchange. In the meantime, I’m just gonna check out the pics and recipes and drool! This looks so fun! Have tons of fun!
xoxo
Hi, I have a question – what can I substitute for the corn syrup, if anything?
Sandra-
Unfortunately, I have never used a substitute for the corn syrup – I have read online that there are substitutes, but I wouldn’t want to give you one without testing it first. Thanks for stopping by!
-Jamie
Sandra, where are you located? I’m in Ireland, and corn syrup is tough to find here. I use a golden syrup (like Lyle’s) for my caramel, and it works just fine. David Lebovitz also suggests substituting rice syrup. Here’s my recipe for salted caramel tart using golden syrup – http://www.adventuresofaseason.com/2012/01/salted-caramel-tart.html
Hope that helps!
Any thick syrup can be used. If you can find something like glucose easier where you are that should be an acceptable substitute. You can also make a syrup with sugar and water and concentrating the sugar to make a thick syrup. You may be able to find directions by googling that for exact measurements and temps.
Looove this. Salted chocolate and caramel are the best of friends. With me. Yum!
ohhhh my goodness… i have never felt such an overwhelming need to make something! these look amazing!!!!! thank you for the constant inspiration!
2 very simple ingredients, nicely combined for a great tart. The flavor must be intense. Thanks for sharing this perfect recipe.