Dark Chocolate and Caramel (Gluten Free)

Our guest chef for the issue gives us a sumptous dark chocolate and caramel (gluten) free recipe

As chef and owner at Chateaux Cuisine, Alicia Watson is dedicated to providing an unforgettable private dining experience for any occasion. Offering a complete dining service in the comfort of a client’s home or holiday home, she also caters for BBQs, family style sharing, picnic lunches and more.

Alicia Watson

Dark chocolate and pistachio tarts

(Makes 4 small or 1 large 9’’ tart)

For the Chocolate Crust:

200g Ground almonds

25g cocoa powder

54g melted butter

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 tsp salt

For the chocolate ganache filling:

355ml Crémé entière

450g Dark chocolate, roughly chopped

1 tsp Vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

50g Pistachio, chopped

Preheat oven to 180’c. Stir together crust ingredients in a bowl. Press mixture evenly into tart tins. Bake for 10-12 mins until it feels dry and firm. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

For the chocolate filling, put the dark chocolate in a bowl. Heat cream until simmering, then pour over the chocolate. Wait 30 seconds then slowly stir together until the chocolate is totally melted and glossy. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt until combined. Pour chocolate ganache into the cooled baked crust and give it a gentle shake until it is even. Sprinkle with pistachio. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm.

Now, to complete this dark chocolate and caramel (gluten free) dessert, we need the sauce:

Salted Caramel Sauce

200g Caster sugar

120 ml Water

56g Unsalted butter

120ml Thick full fat cream

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 tsp Salt

Place the sugar and water in a medium sized saucepan and dissolve the sugar over a low heat. Add butter and let it melt. Bring mixture to a boil and allow to boil until it turns a deep golden copper colour. (Do not stir or whisk at all to avoid crystallisation.) Remove from heat and immediately add the cream in a slow, steady stream, whisking quickly until combined. Add vanilla extract and salt, whisk to combine. Leave to cool (it will thicken as it cools). The sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks

Dark Chocolate and Pistachio Tart with Salted Caramel Sauce

PLUS

You can see Alicia’s Smoked Chicken Breast and Butternut Squash Risotto with Wild Mushroom Sauce in our Oct/Nov 2020 issue

Alicia’s Smoked Chicken Breast and Butternut Squash Risotto with Wild Mushroom Sauce

First published in the October and |November 2020 issue of The Local Buzz

Images: Alicia Watson