Although elegantly simple in appearance, this tart is anything but when it hits your taste buds. Each bite hosts a myriad of flavors and textures thanks to the layers of tender crust, toasted pecans, smooth caramel, and rich ganache. A touch of salt and a scattering of pecans is all it needs to “gild the lily.”
To make the crust: Lightly grease a 9" tart pan.
In a medium bowl, beat the butter, sugar, salt, and espresso powder together until smooth. Add the cocoa, flour, and pecan meal (or almond flour) and mix until the dough comes together.
Press the crust into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Prick the crust all over with a fork then chill it in the freezer, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes or so, while you preheat the oven to 400°F.
Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until you smell chocolate and the crust is set. Remove the crust from the oven and set it aside to cool.
To make the caramel filling (see tip below if using store-bought caramel candies): Heat the caramel, cream, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan set over medium-low heat, stirring regularly until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat.
Scatter 1/3 cup (47g) pecans over the bottom of the cooled crust then pour the caramel over the nuts. Place the caramel-filled tart in the freezer to firm up for 30 minutes.
To make the chocolate filling: Heat the cream in a saucepan or a microwave until it begins to steam. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate in a bowl, let it sit for 5 minutes, then stir until melted and smooth. If necessary, reheat very briefly to soften any remaining hard bits of chocolate.
Pour the chocolate over the firm caramel, and sprinkle with the remaining pecans.
Refrigerate the pie for 1 hour or more before serving. It's best served chilled but not cold; remove the pie from the refrigerator about 15 to 20 minutes and sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving.
Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week. Freeze for up to 3 months.
You can substitute the individually-wrapped caramel candies sold in grocery stores. You’ll need about 60 to 65 of them, and they’ll likely be firmer than the caramel block. To compensate, melt them with 1/4 cup of heavy cream.
