No-bake caramel walnut chocolate tart
A trilogy of good taste comes in the form of this no-bake caramel walnut chocolate tart. It’s about flavour, colour and texture sheathed in extreme opulence. Certain occasions call for luxurious indulgence with quiet restraint. It’s chic with a smattering of sass. As the LBD (little black dress) is the quintessential must-have for devoted fashionistas, a swoon-worthy dessert is the ultimate trump card to dinner party success. This chocolate tart is quietly elegant, outrageously rich yet deceptively simple to make. Testament to it’s success is this feature on The Feedfeed chocolate tart round up!
Black has always been my favourite colour. It probably stems from years working in the fashion industry when my entire wardrobe was stacked with black pieces – dark black, charcoal black, midnight black….. you get the idea. Johnny Cash would’ve been proud. Everything matched. No white or colour cycles in the wash, just darks. This sentiment seems to extends to dark foods. Smouldering coffee, even darker chocolate, liquorice, even black salt. I make no apologies for what’s to follow. Dark cocoa crumb biscuit base, toasted walnuts, caramel, gleaming chocolate ganache and a smattering of crystal-like black salt.
The real triumph is that you don’t need an oven or any baking skills whatsoever. With no risk of failure, there’s no downside to this easy chocolate tart recipe. One prerequisite though, is the best quality chocolate. It’s the hero in this dessert. The caramel is obviously sweet, so I use a 70% chocolate for the filling.
Handy hints
For ease and convenience, I’ve used store bought caramel, but when time allows, this caramel toffee sauce is an option. Roasting the walnuts is essential to enhance the nutty characteristics and intensify the flavour. And then there’s the salt. Countering elements optimises tastes. Think savoury/sweet, spicy/sour or smooth/textural. These factors are key to sensory eating. Salt, chocolate and caramel are classic combinations that work their magic. Although some might request a slither, we all know that only a slice will gratify.
No-bake caramel walnut chocolate tart
Serves 12
- 200g chocolate filled biscuits
- 60g butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 100g walnuts, toasted
- 385g tin Nestlé Caramel treat
- 200g 70% dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup cream
- 2 teaspoons glucose or 1 tablespoon butter
- Hawaiian black salt
- Pulse the biscuits in a processor until fine breadcrumb texture. Add the melted butter and cocoa and pulse again.
- Press the biscuit crumbs into a 22cm tart tin.
- Press the walnuts into the biscuit base.
- Warm the caramel in the microwave for about 40 seconds and stir until it’s smooth.
- Spread the caramel into the tart shell and smooth over with the back of an off-set spatula. Refrigerate until firm.
- Place the chopped chocolate, cream and glucose in a glass bowl. Microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring between each blast until melted and glossy.
- Pour the chocolate ganache over the chilled caramel. Chill for about 3 hours. Scatter with Hawaiian black salt.
- Keep the tart chilled in the fridge. Set on the counter for about 10 minutes before serving.
39 Comments. Leave new
This looks absolutely stunning .
Wow…this looks beautiful…!!! how did you create the swirl kind of effect on top ?
WOW. I’m speechless! This is a gorgeous dessert.
Beautiful tart! And it looks delicious 🙂
OMG! Your tart is absolutely stunning, Dianne! So decadent and elegant, I’m practically swooning! <3 x
Thank you Louise. Just once in a while I get completely derailed by excess and this is one of those times. It’s definitely worth running an extra mile.. or ten!
Thanks so much. For a chocolate lover it’s completely fabulous.
That’s so kind of you Jessie. And being a no-bake tart makes it even more appealing. Great for stress-free dinner parties.
Thanks Da. Pity it’s finished, right?
It’s really simple. Place the tart on a rotating cake stand and using an off-set spatula, swirl the tart round slowly with the spatula just touching the warm ganache. Hope that helps.
Loving this!
Thanks for stopping by Abbe. We rather loved eating it too!
This looks to die for! Gorgeous photography too.
Thank you Angie. My ultimate chocolate treat!
Hi there. Thanks for a great recipe! I made this last night, and it turned out really well, the only thing is that the chocolate was dull and ripples didn’t look nearly as professional. Any tips on how to ensure the chocolate goes nice and glossy? Have I overheated it?
Thanks in advance
Hi Rose. Chocolate does tend to go dull if over-heated or when refrigerated for a lengthy time. What I do to ensure a good gloss is to heat the chocolate briefly with a kitchen blow torch. It works like dream! For the swirls, place the tart on a cake wheel and turn slowly while holding an off-set spatula in the centre and slowly drawing it out toward the edges. Hope that helps.
Made this for dessert for bookclub. The combo of the toasted nuts and sweet caramel and crunchy chocolate tart shell was heavenly. I used way more nuts than called for so they poked out of the chocolate but it still looked great. I will definitely be making this again!
Nothing wrong with way more nuts! The nuttier the better. So glad to hear your bookclub loved it. It’s without a doubt one of our favourite chocolate indulgences. Thanks for stopping in Connie.
I have been meaning to comment on this for ages, this dessert is so beautiful! Caramel, chocolate and nuts… heaven in a bowl! Stunning images too Di.
Thank you Teresa. It’s definitely not the kind of tart that should be left unsupervised!
I’m going to make this for my girlfriends pre-xmas lunch. I would like to prepare the cake as much in advance as possible without losing taste and appearance. How many days can i make this in advance and any recommendations on storing?
You mentioned you use a blow torch on the chocolate do you use this if the cakes been in the refrigerator ? You use the torch prior to serving to get back the gloss on the chocolate?
I want to make this for next weeks lunch so one or two days in advance would be great to save time.
I’m going to make this for my girlfriends pre-xmas lunch. I would like to prepare the cake as much in advance as possible without losing taste and appearance. How many days can i make this in advance and any recommendations on storing?
Do You use the torch prior to serving to get back the gloss on the chocolate?
I want to make this for next weeks lunch so one or two days in advance would be great to save time.
Hi Angelica. What a lunch it’s going to be! This is the perfect make ahead dessert. You can make and chill the tart, covered, several days ahead of time. That’s right. Just give it a quick torch before serving for that beautiful gloss. Hope the feast is fabulous.
Thank you Dianne for your quick reply. I went shopping today in singapore for the cookies you said you used they do not sell them here. Should i look for chocolate cookies with chocolate cream? Tomorrow i’ll go look to what other brands I can use. I’m excited to try it next week . I’ll make sure to take a picture and send you. Have a great Day!
Any chocolate cookie with a creamy dark chocolate filling is great. Even better if it contains desiccated coconut. Can’t waite to see it!
I made this tarte, it’s wonderful! Mine didn’t look as gorgeous as yours but it was fabulous nonetheless! Thank you
You’re welcome Maria. It’s in the taste, after all!
I’ve just given it a try for guests tonight. It won’t look anything like yours (with perfect layers and swirls) but you did inspire me.
Now I need some other uses for black salt considering it doesn’t come in small quantities!!!
This is the perfect make ahead dessert, Trace. Even without the swirls, it’s decant and rich, just like you’d expect from the name. I use the black salt on the table or for seasoning meaty red wine sauces like lamb and beef stews. It’s really intensely salty so go sparingly.
Delicious. Didn’t have cocoa so added some nescafe coffee. My guests really enjoyed the dessert.
Hi Sandy. Coffee and chocolate is just the best combination. Thank you for sharing your handy swap with us. Hope it becomes a regular dinner party favourite.
Do you think I could freeze this? I need something elegant but I need to be able to make it a few weeks ahead.
Hi Paula. I haven’t frozen this chocolate tart before, so I’m hesitant to say yes. Once it defrosts, the crust will soften slightly and the chocolate, being 70%, is rather temperamental, so will most probably bloom. With it being a no bake recipe, it’s really easy to put together on the day, though.
Wow…this looks beautiful…!!! how did you create the swirl kind of effect on top ?
Thank you. It’s easy. Place the tart on a cake wheel and turn while moving an off set spatula from the centre towards the outer edges.
Did you use Romant Creams for the crust?
Hi Maggie. Yes, Romany Creams are perfect! Sometimes I swap them for Tennis biscuits and throw in a handful of walnuts for a nuttier taste. Happy holidays.
Dianne, as always you inspire me so much. I’m definitely going to make this tart for a “week-night spoils” will post the results. If I don’t have a rotating cake stand, what else could I use to achieve similar results?
So glad you’re loving the recipes, Bella. Yes, this is most definitely a spoil dessert. And easy! For the swirls, perhaps a side to side twirl
will look good too. Just drag an off-set spatula from left to right in a gentle swirl motion.