Chocolate and Caramel Tart

I will start by saying that this recipe is not for the faint-hearted as it does take a little time to make but I will also say that it is absolutely, unequivocally one of the most delicious desserts I have ever had the pleasure of eating.

It has it all: sweet, crumbly pastry, sea-salted caramel, light, airy chocolate mousse and a rich chocolate glaze over the top. Do yourself a favour and set aside a morning to make this and then thank me. Because you'll have entered into chocolate dessert heaven.

Chocolate and Caramel Tart

For the pastry:

225g plain flour

80g icing sugar

25g ground almonds

1g sea salt

125g unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes

1 large egg yolk

20ml milk

2g vanilla extract

a little soft butter for greasing

For the caramel:

220g caster sugar

80ml double cream, warmed

80g unsalted butter, chopped

1g sea salt

For the chocolate mousse:

310ml whipping cream

225g 70% dark chocolate, chopped

105g caster sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 large egg

For the chocolate topping:

50ml milk

100g 70% dark chocolate, chopped

20g unsalted butter, softened

15g liquid glucose

For the pastry, sift the flour and icing sugar into a mixing bowl and add the ground almonds, salt and butter. Rub together with your fingers until the butter is incorporated and the mix resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk, milk and until the pastry begins to come together. Remove from the bowl and bring together into a smooth dough. Wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Use soft butter to grease a 24cm loose-based tart tin. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured worktop to 3-4mm thick and use to line the tin. Gently push the pastry into the corners and ensure that the sides are even. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 160C fan/180C/Gas Mark 4. Line the inside of the pastry case with greaseproof paper and fill with rice or baking beans. Blind bake the tart case for 18 minutes until golden brown at the edges then remove the paper and rice/beans and bake for a further 10 minutes to colour the base. Set aside to cool.

For the caramel, combine the sugar and 150ml water in a heavy-based saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high and bubble, brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush, until the mixture caramelises to a deep golden colour. Remove from the heat and add the cream, butter and sea salt (be careful as the mixture will spit). Stir to mix. Immediately pour into a heatproof bowl to prevent further cooking. Leave to cool.

Once cool, pour the caramel into the tart case (still in its tin). Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours until firm.

Meanwhile, make the chocolate mousse. Place 200ml of the cream in a mixing bowl and whip until the cream is firm and will just hold a peak. Set aside in the fridge. Put the chocolate and remaining cream in a large heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water. Heat gently until the chocolate is melted, then stir until smoothly blended. The chocolate should be just warm but not hot. Remove from the heat.

Put the sugar in a thick-based pan and barely cover with warm water. Heat until the sugar dissolves then bring to the boil, brushing down the sides of the pan to prevent crystallisation. When the sugar mix has begun to boil, put the egg yolks and whole egg into a mixing bowl and begin to whisk on high speed (this is easiest in a free-standing electric mixer).

Check the temperature of the boiling sugar syrup with a thermometer. When it reaches 121C, remove the pan from the heat. At this stage, the eggs should be pale, aerated and foamy. Reduce the speed of the mixer and slowly pout the hot sugar syrup into the bowl, over the eggs being whisked - avoid the syrup touching the side of the bowl and the moving whisk. When all the syrup has been added, increase the speed to just above medium and whisk until the mixture cools down.

Transfer the egg mixture to the bowl of melted chocolate and gently fold through, taking care not to knock out any air. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Pour the mousse on to the set caramel in the tart case and spread out evenly: the surface should be smooth and come to just below the top of the tart edges. Return to the fridge to chill for 2 hours until firm.

For the chocolate topping, heat the milk (do not boil). Put the chocolate and butter in a bowl, pour the hot milk over and stir until smooth and well mixed. Add the glucose and mix through. Set aside to cool until just barely warm.

To finish the tart, spoon the warm chocolate topping over the mousse and tilt the tart so it flows to cover the mousse evenly. Chill until set and then serve.