TWD: chocolate-crunched caramel tart (aka super delicious)

We have a winner. Pete declared that this was his favorite recipe so far. It knocked the coconut-roasted pineapple dacquoise right off its pedestal. Pete didn't have too much else to say because he was too busy stuffing it in his mouth. Although when I mentioned taking a couple pieces to work to get rid of them he told me that I wasn't allowed.

I've been enjoying this tart too. I had chips and salsa and a piece of tart for dinner last night. I figured the salsa (homemade) totally counts as a vegetable and I had the tart with a glass of milk so I got some calcium and protein. Very healthy and very delicious.

This tart is a bit intimidating with its pastry crust, caramel filling and ganache top, but if you pulled this baby out at a dinner party everyone would bow down and worship at your feet. Seriously. It's that good. I surprisingly had no problems with the tart dough or the caramel. My problem arose with the ganache. Um, yeah I know that was the easiest step. The kitchen gods were just knocking me back down to earth, they don't want me getting too cocky. I boiled my cream and added half to the chopped chocolate and delicately stirred in little circles as directed and all was well. I added the second half of the cream and repeated. All was still well. I added the butter and all was very very bad. Curdled greasy lumpy chocolate. Not appetizing. More stirring wasn't helping plus Dorie says don't over stir or it won't be satiny and shiny. After some whimpering and some mad googling with no helpful results I thought I would just attack it with a whisk. It worked. It was no longer greasy and curdled but smooth and shiny. Take that kitchen gods. Hah.

I used hazelnuts instead of peanuts because I have an aversion to peanuts. Plus hazelnuts, caramel and chocolate together equals yummy. I will make this recipe again and people will fall at my feet and worship. (Willa counts as a person right?)

Thanks to Carla of Chocolate Moosey for picking this super delicious dessert. Visit her blog for the recipe and to ogle all the other delicious things she bakes up. Head on over to Tuesdays with Dorie to read about the adventures the other bakers had making this tart.