This is not a desert for the faint hearted, this is a tort for the major leagues! This is an 'I just got dumped, where's the chocolate' tort, an 'I deserved that promotion more than her' kinda pie or, maybe even a 'I can't believe you made that!' ending to a dinner party. This will inspire a chorus of oooohs and ahhs and will result in your friends begging you for the recipe. But you'll never tell, for then they'll see how unbelievably simple this tort is. This one is between you and me, and nobody else!
When my lovely sister in law requested a cheesecake for her birthday celebrations I knew what she really had in mind. Something decedent, something rich and luxurious. A simple cheesecake just wasn't going to cut the mustard, enter salted caramel, the daddy of luxury deserts.
Now this is one rich s.o.b so cut it in slivers and don't say I didn't warn you. And don't worry, I'll take the calorie content to the grave, brownies honor!
Salted Caramel Chocolate Tort
(adapted from BBC Good Food)
Ingredients:
200g digestive biscuits
100g melted salted butter
1 jar dulce de leche
1 tsp sea salt , plus extra to serve
300g quality plain chocolate (70% solids), broken into chunks
600ml tub double cream
25g icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
chocolate truffles to decorate
Method:
Line the base and sides of a deep, round 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment.
Crush the biscuits in a food processor or bowl with the end of a rolling pin. Stir into the melted butter, then evenly press into the bottom of the tin. Chill for 10 mins.
Reserve 2 tbsp of the dulce de leche in a small bowl and add 2tbsp of the double cream, cover and place in the fridge until ready to decorate . Stir the sea salt into the remainder of the dulce de leche and spoon into the centre of the biscuit base. Gently spread so the base is evenly covered but a visible 1-2cm border of biscuit remains around the edge. Chill for 20 mins while you make the chocolate layer.
Gently melt the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted, turn off the heat but leave the bowl where it is, and gradually stir in the remaining cream until you have a smooth, shiny, thick chocolate sauce. Sift in the icing sugar and stir in with the vanilla extract. Lift off the heat and let the mixture cool for 10 mins.
Ladle or pour the chocolate mixture around the edge of the torte first, so it fills the biscuit border, sealing the caramel in the centre. Then ladle or pour in the rest and gently shake to smooth the surface. Chill for at least 5 hrs or up to 24 hours until firm.
Remove the torte from the tin, then carefully peel off the strip of paper and transfer to a serving plate. Dot the chocolates on top. Spoon the reserved dulce de leche mixture into a piping bag with a thin nozzel or freezer bag. Snip off the tiniest tip of the corner to make a very small opening, then squiggle lines of caramel over the top. Chill until ready to serve. Scatter with a pinch or two of sea salt before serving, then thinly slice.
