Gluten Free Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tart
This decadent dessert has a buttery chocolate and pecan crumb crust, a glorious chocolate custard filling, and a silky homemade caramel topping with toasted pecans!
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 500kcal
Equipment
- 10-inch tart pan
- Small saucepan
- Medium saucepan
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1/3 Cup softened salted butter
- 3/4 Cup finely ground toasted pecans instructions below
- 1/2 Cup dutched cocoa powder
- 3/4 Cup blanched almond flour
- 1/2 Cup packed finely ground gluten free oreos (filling removed) or other all-chocolate cookies
- 1/2 Cup gluten free 1-1 flour mix with xanthan gum added (if it doesn't have xanthan gum, add 1 teaspoon xanthan gum)
- 1/4 Cup white sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
For the chocolate filling:
- 10 oz good quality semi-sweet chocolate (or 60-70%) chopped
- 1 1/3 Cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp instant coffee granules
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp white sugar
- 2 large eggs
For the caramel + pecan topping:
- 1 Cup toasted pecans instructions below
- 1 Cup white sugar
- 6 Tbsp salted butter room temperature
- 1/2 Cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 tsp salt
Instructions
To make the crust:
- First, roast your pecans. Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Spread whole, unsalted pecans on a cookie sheet and pop in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the nuts are a bit darker, dry, and smell fragrant (be careful not to let them burn!). Remove and let cool completely, then finely grind enough for the crust and set the rest aside.
- Then, lower your oven to 325° Fahrenheit and lightly grease a 10-inch tart pan, then set aside. In a medium bowl, using a spatula, stir together the softened butter, finely ground toasted pecans, cocoa powder, almond flour, flour, sugar, salt, and finely ground gluten free oreos (filling removed, or other all-chocolate cookies) until thick and moldable - it should be crumbly and a bit dry, and should easily hold its shape. Press the dough into your prepared tart pan, making sure that the crust is even all the way around and up the 1-inch sides of the tart pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until drier to the touch. Your crust will have puffed up a bit – don't worry. Let it cool completely before filling. Once the tart shell is cool, press the puffed areas with your fingertips until the crust is even.
To make the chocolate filling:
- In a small saucepan, begin heating your heavy cream over medium-low heat. Once the cream is simmering, turn off heat and add the instant coffee and the chopped chocolate into the pot and let sit for 1-2 minutes until melted, then whisk the cream + chocolate + coffee together until smooth. Add in the vanilla, sugar, and salt and whisk to combine. Separately, in a small bowl, whisk your eggs together, then slowly pour in ½ cup of the hot chocolate + cream mixture into your eggs, while whisking vigorously, to temper the eggs. Then slowly pour the egg mixture into the chocolate + cream pot, whisking constantly until glossy and smooth.
- Once your crust is cool and pressed, pour your filling in and bake for 24-30 minutes or until a knife inserted 3 inches from the edge of the tart comes out clean (the center will still jiggle a tiny bit). Let tart cool completely before topping - refrigerate once cool for 30 minutes while making caramel.
To make the topping:
- While the tart is cooling, make the caramel sauce! In a medium saucepan (bigger than you think you need - at least 3 quart size - the caramel will bubble up), constantly whisk the white sugar over medium heat until the sugar begins to melt and clump. Continue stirring constantly until sugar has completely melted, then stop stirring and continue to heat. Once the caramel looks deep gold (not darker) immediately take off heat and vigorously whisk in the room temp butter until it’s fully combined - this may take a few minutes to bring it all together. Then put back on medium heat and cook for one minute without stirring. Then, whisking constantly, slowly add the heavy cream until fully combined, then stop stirring and let cook for 1 minute (not longer or it will be too hard!) - it will bubble up.
- Finally, remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla and salt, and stir until smooth. Pour into a heatproof container and let sit at room temp to cool for a few minutes. Remember, caramel thickens as it cools so if it seems runny, don't worry.
To construct:
- Once the caramel sauce has cooled for a few minutes, pour over the top of the chilled tart and spread to the edges. Then immediately decorate the top with either chopped toasted pecans, or whole toasted pecans in a design that you like! Then chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Before serving, remove from the fridge and let sit at room temp for 30 minutes to soften the caramel. I recommend using a heated knife (just heat it over an open flame for a few seconds) to slice cleanly through the tart.