Chocolate Caramel Tart

Darker, dutch-process cocoa powder makes for a more flavorful, cookie-like crust.

For the crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup plus 1 T dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
10 T unsalted butter, cubed and softened
1/2 cup plus 2 T confectioners' sugar
2 egg yolks, preferably at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the caramel:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 T light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 T unsalted butter
6 T heavy cream
1 T crème fraîche

For the ganache:
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
grey sea salt for garnish

Make the crust:
Heat oven to 350˚. Combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Using a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until mixture is pale and fluffy; mix in yolks and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients. Transfer dough to a 9" fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and press dough evenly into bottom and sides of pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Prick the tart shell all over with a fork and bake until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool.

Make the caramel:
In a 1-qt. saucepan, whisk together sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 6 tablespoons of water and bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer inserted into the syrup reads 365°. Remove pan from heat and whisk in butter, cream, and crème fraîche (the mixture will bubble up) until smooth. Pour caramel into cooled tart shell and let cool slightly; refrigerate until firm, 4–5 hours.

Make the ganache:
Bring cream to a boil in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Put chocolate into a medium bowl and pour in hot cream; let sit for 1 minute, then stir slowly with a rubber spatula until smooth. Pour ganache evenly over tart and refrigerate until set, 4–5 hours. Sprinkle tart with sea salt, slice, and serve chilled.

Serves 8