Dark Chocolate tart on holiday table

Thanksgiving is upon us (um, where has November gone?), and I realized that I have yet to put one of my all-time favorite recipes on Lemon Baby. It is the dessert that has graced our Thanksgiving table ever since I discovered it four years ago. It doesn’t involve pumpkin, pecans, or anything fall-ish, really. And that’s kind of its beauty. It’s an accessible, simple, and a ridiculously delicious end to a sumptuous meal. It is a Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart, and it’s incredible. 

Closeup of sea salt topping on tart

I discovered the original recipe on Kevin and Amanda. I cannot take credit for its birth, but I have modified it significantly. The first time I made it per the original recipe, I found Oreo cookies for the crust to be too sweet. I substituted plain, old chocolate wafer cookies instead every year after. I also doubled the caramel filling (because…caramel).

Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart is an explosion of crumbly cookie crust, silky caramel, and smooth ganache. Don’t be intimidated by the caramel. It’s a simple sauce instead of its labor-intensive candy-thermometer-requiring cousin. I would not recommend substituting milk chocolate. The entire thing might be too sweet for some (as if there is such a thing). The beauty of this dessert is the bitterness of the dark chocolate married with the salty sweetness of the caramel. It is a thing of beauty, for sure. Try it for yourself. I promise you won’t be disappointed.


Dark Chocolate tart on holiday table
2.77 from 13 votes
Print

Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart

A decadent, sweet-and-salty dessert that will forever grace my Thanksgiving table.

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword dark chocolate caramel tart, dark chocolate salted caramel tart, salted caramel tart, thanksgiving dessert
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings 12 people
Author Amanda

Ingredients

  • 36 chocolate wafer cookies (about one package)
  • 1 1/2 cup butter, divided
  • 1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips
  • Maldon sea salt or another super flaky salt

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, whiz chocolate wafers until crumbly. Melt a stick of butter in the microwave or on the stovetop, and stir into the chocolate crumbs until combined. Press into the bottom and sides of a nine-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Freeze crust for 10 minutes.
  2. Combine two sticks of butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Cook until it bubbles, whisking constantly, over medium heat, and then cook for two minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in one-half cup of heavy cream until mixture is a smooth sauce. Cool caramel about 20 minutes.
  3. Pour caramel over the set crust and return to freezer for 30 minutes, but don't let caramel fully freeze.
  4. Put chocolate chips in a glass bowl and heat 3/4 cup heavy cream to a simmer in a saucepan. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it melt for five minutes, then whisk until smooth.
  5. Remove the tart from the freezer and pour the chocolate over the caramel. Smooth with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Refrigerate covered, for at least 2 hours or until ready to serve. Push bottom of tart pan up to unmold tart. Right before serving, top with some lovely flaky sea salt.

Table setting for Thanksgiving with pumpkins

What is always on your Thanksgiving table? Tell us in the comments!