Chocolate-Caramel Tart with Drunken Raspberries and Vanilla Crème Fraîche

A decadent layered tart featuring a chocolate-cocoa nib crust filled with smooth caramel and topped with rich chocolate ganache. Served with boozy raspberries and vanilla-scented crème fraîche for an elegant dessert.

8 servings

3 hr 57 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 cup all purpose flour
•3 tablespoons sugar
•½ teaspoon salt
•½ cup unsalted butter
•2 large egg yolks
•3 tablespoons cocoa nibs
•1 cup sugar
•¼ cup water
•¼ cup heavy whipping cream
•¼ cup unsalted butter
•½ whole vanilla bean
•¼ teaspoon fleur de sel
•1 cup heavy whipping cream
•5 ounces bittersweet chocolate
•to taste edible gold dust
•to serve Drunken Raspberries
•to serve Vanilla Crème Fraîche

Cooking Instructions

1.
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 375°F. Butter 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add 1/2 cup butter; process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolks; process until moist clumps form. Add cocoa nibs; blend in using on/off turns. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan on rack while preparing caramel filling.
35 min
2.
Combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil without stirring until mixture is deep amber, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Add butter and stir over low heat until caramel is completely smooth. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; stir in salt. Cool 10 minutes. Pour warm caramel into crust. Let stand at room temperature until completely cool, about 45 minutes.
62 min
3.
Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan. Remove from heat; add chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Let stand until slightly cooled but still pourable, about 10 minutes. Pour ganache evenly over caramel filling. Refrigerate tart uncovered until chocolate is firm, about 2 hours. do ahead Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
130 min
4.
Brush top of tart with gold dust, if desired. Cut tart into thin slices. Arrange 1 slice on each plate. Spoon berries and crème fraîche alongside.
10 min
5.
*Bits of shelled roasted cocoa beans; available at many specialty foods stores or from chocosphere.com.

Ingredients

•1 cup all purpose flour

•3 tablespoons sugar

•½ teaspoon salt

•½ cup unsalted butter

•2 large egg yolks

•3 tablespoons cocoa nibs

•1 cup sugar

•¼ cup water

•¼ cup heavy whipping cream

•¼ cup unsalted butter

•½ whole vanilla bean

•¼ teaspoon fleur de sel

•1 cup heavy whipping cream

•5 ounces bittersweet chocolate

•to taste edible gold dust

•to serve Drunken Raspberries

•to serve Vanilla Crème Fraîche

Cooking Instructions

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 375°F. Butter 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add 1/2 cup butter; process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolks; process until moist clumps form. Add cocoa nibs; blend in using on/off turns. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan on rack while preparing caramel filling.

35 min

Combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil without stirring until mixture is deep amber, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Add butter and stir over low heat until caramel is completely smooth. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; stir in salt. Cool 10 minutes. Pour warm caramel into crust. Let stand at room temperature until completely cool, about 45 minutes.

62 min

Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan. Remove from heat; add chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Let stand until slightly cooled but still pourable, about 10 minutes. Pour ganache evenly over caramel filling. Refrigerate tart uncovered until chocolate is firm, about 2 hours. do ahead Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

130 min

Brush top of tart with gold dust, if desired. Cut tart into thin slices. Arrange 1 slice on each plate. Spoon berries and crème fraîche alongside.

10 min

*Bits of shelled roasted cocoa beans; available at many specialty foods stores or from chocosphere.com.