Brown butter salted caramel tart with chocolate ganache topping. A brown butter graham crust is filled with a silky, chewy brown butter salted caramel filling, and is topped off with a smooth dark chocolate ganache. This tart only requires 10 minutes of bake time, and can be prepared ahead, making it the perfect summer or any time recipe.
Brown Butter Salted Caramel Tart with Chocolate Ganache
I just discovered the photos for this Brown Butter Salted Caramel Tart just chilling on my computer, so I figured I should probably pop the recipe up here for you! This guy is super easy, only takes 10 minutes of baking time, and can be made ahead, so is perfect for prepping ahead of time and not boiling up your entire kitchen. Can you tell we are right in the middle of summer here in NYC? It’s sticky.
This tart is super easy and is kind of a riff on a few of my recipes. I took a brown butter graham cracker crust and filled it with the filling from this brown butter salted caramel slice, which is potentially one of my favourite recipes from this year. I then topped the whole thing with a chocolate ganache, which I used a dark chocolate for in order to balance out the sweetness of the caramel.
How to add a crumb crust to a tart pan
I have a sneaky wee trick that makes adding a crumb crust to a tart pan super easy - start with the sides first. This means you get nice even sides, then you can work on spreading out the bottom crust.
Take your time when you are making a crumb crust. An even crust makes a huge difference to the overall neatness of the crust.
Accounting for moisture loss with Brown Butter
You will notice that the initial quantity of butter is not the same as the two quantities of brown butter called for in the recipe. This is to account for the moisture lost when you brown butter. Browning butter cooks off the water and browns the milk solids. This means that you end up with a smaller quantity of butter than you started with. You will see that I call for 255g butter to make the brown butter, but the butter in the recipe only adds up to 195g. This is me accounting for the moisture loss. It's not a typo.
Different butter loses different amounts of moisture when browned due to how it is made. For example most US butter has a higher water content than European or NZ butter, so you will end up with less browned butter relative to the quantity you started with as you are cooking off more moisture. This is why baking by weight is so important. Different butters will yield different quantities of brown butter so it is important to re-weigh your brown butter.
I know that making brown butter can be intimidating. Don't be scared, I will hold your hand the whole way through in my post and you'll be nailing it in no time: Brown Butter 101: The Ultimate Guide
Breaking up the Workload
This recipe has a few steps where it needs to be chilled, so you can definitely do it over the course of a day or two to break up the workload of this caramel tart.
You could do the crust and the filling on day one, then leave it to chill overnight. Then you could add the chocolate the day of serving. You could also do it all in one day and chill the whole thing overnight.
This caramel tart keeps super well in the fridge, so it is great to make ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions about Salted Caramel Tart
What pan did you use to make this?
I used a 9" removable bottom tart tin for this, which meant that it was super easy to just lift out once I was done - I placed a bowl upside down and put the tin on top, which meant that the outer ring could be easily removed without awkwardly having to try and hold it at the same time as taking it off.
What can I use instead of graham crackers?
If you can't find graham crackers where you are you can use digestives or something similar. Just watch the quantity of butter - you may need more or less depending on how absorbent the biscuits are. You want it to be the consistency of wet sand.
How to do you get the ganache to a smooth texture?
I added the ganache when it was cooled so I could add texture - to do this I popped it in the fridge, stirring very frequently until it was thick enough to spread on.
Is a thermometer compulsory?
I haven't tried making the caramel without a thermometer but you can try if you want - you want to cook it until it is a deep golden brown colour. A candy thermometer is a great investment though! When you are using one make sure that it is not touching the bottom of the pan as that will give you a false reading.
Why didn't my caramel set?
If you have issues with your caramel setting there is a good chance you did not take it hot enough. Make sure you cook it to temperature and make sure your thermometer is not at the bottom of the pan but within the caramel.
❤️ Made this recipe and love it? ❤️
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Answers to your baking questions
Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:
- baking in grams
- adjusting oven temperatures
- what kind of salt to use
- and many more!
I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!
Recipe for Salted Caramel Tart
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Brown Butter Salted Caramel Chocolate Ganache Tart
- Prep Time: 45
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: One 9" tart - serves 8 1x
Description
Brown butter salted caramel tart with chocolate ganache topping. A brown butter graham crust is filled with a silky, chewy brown butter salted caramel filling, and is topped off with a smooth dark chocolate ganache. This tart only requires 10 minutes of bake time, and can be prepared ahead, making it the perfect summer recipe.
Ingredients
Brown Butter
- 310g unsalted butter, cold from the fridge, cut into cubes
Brown Butter Graham Crust
- 290g graham crackers, processed to crumbs (see notes for subs)
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 125g brown butter, melted
Brown Butter Salted Caramel Filling
- 1 14oz (400g) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 185g dark brown or light brown sugar
- 100g brown butter
- 50g golden syrup or corn syrup
- ¾ tsp kosher salt (drop to ½ tsp if you don’t like your caramel super salty)
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
Dark Chocolate Ganache Topping
- 200g dark chocolate (I used 70%), chopped
- 35g unsalted butter, at room temperature, chopped
- 120g heavy cream
Instructions
BROWN BUTTER
- Place the butter in a medium saucepan, and place over medium heat. Cook until the butter has melted, and then continue to cook, swirling the pan often, until the butter foams and turns golden brown and nutty - this should take 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool slightly before using.
BROWN BUTTER GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
- Preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c.
- In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt. Add the melted brown butter and mix to incorporate - you want it to resemble wet sand.
- Press the crust mixture into a 9" removable bottom tart pan, pressing onto the sides, and then the bottom. Use a straight sided measuring cup or drinking glass to help you press the crust in tightly. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet.
- Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes, or until beginning to brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
BROWN BUTTER SALTED CARAMEL FILLING
- Place the Condensed Milk, brown sugar, brown butter, and golden syrup in a medium sized heavy bottomed saucepan.
- Place over a medium heat and stir until melted together, then cook, stirring constantly with a whisk or rubber spatula (I like to use a whisk then switch to the rubber spatula), until the mixture registers 220°f / 105°c on a candy thermometer. Watch the bottom carefully to avoid the mixture catching, turning down the heat if needed.
- Once the caramel has reached the correct temperature, add the vanilla and salt, mix well to incorporate, and pour it into the cooled graham cracker base and smooth off by shaking the pan and using an offset spatula if needed. Transfer to the fridge and allow to set for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until you can no longer feel heat in it.
DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- Place the chopped chocolate and butter in a small heatproof bowl. Place the heavy cream into a small saucepan and heat until there is movement around the edges - do not boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and butter, and cover with a plate. Leave to stand for 4-5 minutes, then remove the plate and whisk to incorporate until smooth and shiny.
- Place into the fridge, stirring every few minutes, until the ganache has thickened slightly - enough that when you run a spoon through it, the indentation stays. Spread over the surface of the cooled caramel tart, and chill until set.
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving. Use a sharp knife that has been warmed and dried to cut.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container or covered with foil in the fridge.
Notes
You may notice that there are two quantities when I am talking about brown butter - the initial quantity of butter, then a second measurement in the method which is the quantity of brown butter. The larger initial quantity is to account for water loss when browning - read more about that above.
If you are using the recipe scaling feature (2x or 3x) be aware that any quantities, measurements, pan sizes, and cooking times given in the method do not scale automatically - it's only the quantities in the Ingredient List that scale automatically.
Comments
Dana says
Made it for Christmas, it’s very rich due to the chocolate and caramel but it was very tasty. Everyone liked it!
Erin says
Ah yay! I always cut ours up into teeny pieces hahahah so good
Alex says
Such a decadent delight!! Easy to follow recipe, relatively fast to make and it s sure a very good treat for those with a sweet tooth. Make sure you cut the slices thin tho because it s a very rich dessert. Loved it🥰
Renata says
Hi! Is there other substitute to gold syrup? Couldn’t find some in portugal, neither corn syrup
Erin says
Hi! You can try honey or liquid glucose
Lizet says
I was dreaming of this silky dessert. I used a candy thermometer and got it to the right temperature, but sadly the caramel hardened too much. It was almost impossible to cut slices.
I ended up breaking it into small pieces and eating it as candy, because we don't throw anything away 🙈😁
But I need to figure out the right temperature for next time.
Erin Clarkson says
Hi! Oh no! I wonder if your thermometer wasn't placed properly in the pot and it got taken too far? It definitely shouldn't be that hard! I hope you enjoyed it regardless!
Mayanka says
Hi Erin,
For the caramel filling I don’t have brown butter in my country , can I use normal butter? Will it give a brown colour to the caramel filling ?
Thanks,
Mayanka
Erin says
Hi! Brown butter is something that you make from regular butter. There are instructions in the recipe to make it. Just a note on star ratings - they really affect how my recipes show up on google so it is a little unfair to leave a lower star rating over a recipe question which is covered in the post. Please keep this in mind next time - I would prefer you leave the star rating off if you have a question. Thanks!
Mayanka says
Hi Erin,
Extremely Sorry, will definitely keep it in mind henceforth.
Caribou says
Thanks so much for all the time and detail you put into your recipes. Can't wait to try this!
stacy says
Looks delish!!
Leslie Mac says
Would using milk chocolate change the ganache recipe?
Erin Clarkson says
Hi hi! Yes I think it would - you generally need a touch less cream for milk chocolate, but the rest of the recipe is super sweet so it needs the dark to cut through! You could try incorporating some milk chocolate in there too with the dark, in which case it would be fine to leave the ratios the same, but I think it would be too sweet with all milk! xx
Charlotte Donegan says
Well, Jesus take the wheel. This recipe - I cannot. Not only is it easy to follow and Erin's tips and tricks along the way game-changing for your baking skills, but the end product is DIVINE. I made this for a dinner with friends and the reviews were rave. It is sweet, and salty and just yum. I used digestives and they were a bit thirsty so would add a little more butter to my mix next time, but honestly they were a crunchy, crumbly delight. 10/10 would recommend.
Emilie says
I made this into mini tarts and it was perfect! So so delicious without being overly sweet. The caramel was super easy to make which is often the scariest thing. Such a great recipe!
Laurie Taylor says
This recipe is so great!!!
Louise says
So delicious and rich, a level up on the usual chocolate caramel slice!
Bridget says
I made this tart for a family get together over the long weekend and it was so unbelievably tasty! I was nervous about cooking the caramel but it turned out perfectly. The recipe was easy to follow and the whole family loved it!! Will definitely be making it again.
Hannah says
Made this a few times and it’s so delicious, it’s like a gourmet candy bar with the perfect amount of sweet and salty
Esther Feldman says
I bought ready graham cracker crumbs, should I weigh out 290g of the crumbs or is the quantity different when starting with whole crackers?
Erin Clarkson says
Hi! Yes you can just weigh them out!
kristen says
Wow! This tart is a stunner! I divided the recipe out to a 6” tart pan and 5 small individual ramekins, and it worked perfectly. The caramel is delicious against the bite of the slightly salty graham cracker crust and ganache. The caramel did not at all stick to my teeth, a texture I find annoying in caramel, it had just a tiny bit of chew which in my opinion is ideal. Will definitely make again!