If you love salted caramel and chocolate, this Salted Caramel Tart is your dream come true! The creamy caramel filling is made with condensed milk, a secret trick for making perfect soft-set caramel without using a candy thermometer. With a biscuit crust and luxurious chocolate ganache topping, it’s hard to believe you only need 6 ingredients to make this!
Salted caramel tart
“OMG, that caramel tart!”, my friend exclaimed. “You’ve probably given my whole family diabetes, but OMG!!!!”
I grinned, gleefully. “I know, it’s INSANE, isn’t it?”
This is probably the most indulgent dessert I know how to make. It’s sinfully decadent. The caramel filling is truly incredible – it’s smooth, creamy, thick and so soft.
It’s made using a caramel base of butter plus sugar (for the caramel flavour) which is then combined with condensed milk. Once baked, it sets, almost like a soft custard. It’s different to the traditional method of making caramel fillings which require the caramel to come to a specific temperature at which point it will set to be a soft creamy caramel, rather than runny or hard. i.e. Candy thermometer required.
I have it in my head that this is the Australian way of making a creamy caramel, as it is how the caramel is made for the Aussie favourite Caramel Slice. I’d love to know if anyone knows otherwise. I feel like it’s an undiscovered secret because I never seem to see caramel tarts/pies/bars/slices etc made using condensed milk.
The biscuit crust
This tart is made with a simple biscuit crust, like you see with cheesecakes. That caramel was made for using as a glue to suction up all the loose crumbs when you inhale your slice!
This is how I press the crumbs into the tart tin – using something flat and round with straight walls. I’m using a measuring cup here. Use it to press the crumbs into the wall and a knife or your finger to level out the top of the crust, and to level out the base of the tart.
As for the topping – what else could it be other than a chocolate ganache? 🙂 This ganache has a slightly higher chocolate to cream ratio than traditional ganache recipes (which are usually 1:1) so the chocolate is a little firmer than used as a frosting. It makes it soft but cuttable without smearing so you get nice neat tart slices.
Many readers have jokingly noted how my very recognisable hands have been absent in videos recently. Shooting videos by yourself is seriously hard work when you have a simple home set up like I do. I’ve been thinking about getting a studio, setting things up “properly”. A permanent video shoot area with studio lights, a kitchen, getting a permanent support team and making my life a little – ALOT – easier.
But for me, one of the things I love about my website is how personal it is. Everything that you see is made in my pokey kitchen, the recipes are my own, created by me, tested by me, taste tested by family and friends. The larger a team gets, the less personal this website will become. Does anyone here seriously think that Martha Stewart creates every recipe that ends up on her website, her magazines, cookbooks and TV shows?
I enjoy making my own videos, shooting them, editing them. In a bid to make my life slightly easier, I get my mother or a helper to come in once a week to help with food prep, double/triple/quadruple test recipes, and most importantly in my world, help with the washing up.
And because everybody has nicer hands than me, I can never resist calling on my help to be my video hand model. 😂 Plus the incredible convenience of not having to wipe my hands and dash around to check the camera with every single micro step in every video! For a recipe like this, if I shot it myself, I would have to do that about 40 times – at least.
I feel like this post is a little all over the place and a bit stilted.
I’ll be honest. I’m a bit tarted out. I’m really trying to drum up the enthusiasm for what is possibly the most raved about dessert ever by my taste testers – and that includes the homeless man at the dog park.
But I’ve made this seven times in a week and half!! Testing + a couple of video fails.
As I said, I’m tarted out!!
My friends are not. I definitely did not run out of willing taste testers to even take the ones I wasn’t 100% happy with. 🙂
To be clear, Dozer was not one of those taste testers. No chocolate for dogs!! – Nagi xx
Watch how to make it
Salted Caramel Tart recipe video. So you can see how soft that caramel is and don’t miss the Dozer cameo at the end!!
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Salted Caramel Tart
Ingredients
Base:
- 225g / 8 oz plain sweet biscuits, about 2 cups (packed) crushed (Arnott’s Marie Crackers, Graham Crackers, Note 1 for Digestives)
- 150g / 10 tbsp unsalted butter , melted (Note 1 for Digestives)
Caramel:
- 100g / 7 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar (tightly packed cup)
- 2 cans sweetened condensed milk (395g / 14oz each can)
- 1 3/4 tsp salt (2 ½ – 3 tsp salt flakes)
Chocolate Ganache Topping:
- 1/3 cup thickened cream (heavy cream), or any cream 30%+ fat
- 150g / 5 oz dark chocolate melts / chips
- Sea salt flakes , for topping (recommended)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180*C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Grease and line the base only of a 23cm / 9" tart tin with a loose base. (Or a springform pan of a similar size)
- Blitz biscuits – Roughly break up biscuits and place in a food processor, then whizz until fine crumbs form. Or do this step with a ziplock bag and rolling pin.
- Press – Pour crumbs into a bowl, add melted butter, mix until it looks like wet sand and no dry crumbs remain. Pour into tin, then press firmly into base and sides – use something flat like a cup to assist (refer to video).
- Bake & cool – Transfer to tray (safe handling), place in oven and bake for 10 minutes, then remove and cool slightly (5 minutes in fridge).
Caramel:
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and whisk to combine – butter may not incorporate fully.
- Whisk – Once it starts bubbling and the sugar is completely melted, pour in the condensed milk, whisking as you go. Whisk constantly until you see steam coming off the caramel (~ 4 minutes), then remove from heat.
- Pour into base – Add salt (adjust to taste), then pour the caramel into the tart base.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges of the caramel surface is golden and the surface has a “skin” on it, but the caramel is still soft and the centre jiggles slightly (see video for demo.)
- Cool on counter while you make the chocolate.
Chocolate Ganache:
- Melt chocolate – Place cream and chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Microwave in 2 x 30 second bursts, stirring in between, until smooth.
- Cool then pour – Set aside for 10 minutes to thicken slightly, then pour over the base. Smooth top or make swirls like I did (just wait until the chocolate thickens slightly). Sprinkle with sea salt flakes.
- Refrigerate for 1 ½ hours to allow chocolate to set. Then remove and bring to room temperature before slicing to serve. Handle carefully when sliding the tart off the base – or just leave it on to be safe and just remove the sides.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
For Caramel Monsters
Caramel Slice (aka Millionaire’s Shortbread!) – the great Aussie favourite!
Peanut Butter Caramel Tart – dangerously easy
Sweetened Condensed Milk Caramel – just place a can of condensed milk in the slow cooker!
More slices and bars
Strawberry Bars – made with tons of fresh strawberries!
Easiest Ever Raspberries Jam Bars
Life of Dozer
Checking himself out while I was making the recipe video!! 😂
Hi!!! Im from México and I have tried this receipe 3 times because I once made it while living in Australia, I dont know what happens but my caramel never sets! (It did in Australia) i dint know if its the ingredients or what, but my caramel gets separated from the butter. So I end up with some greasy liquid on top! What can I do??? Help
Hi Lucia, are the ingredients that you’re using the same? – N x
Hi Nagi, yes they are. And the same quantities. But once I put it in the oven it starts bubbling and after almost 30 min the bubbles get smaller but the thin skin never forms. And there is all this melted butter on top , and the caramel is still liquid. O had to take it out Of the oven because the crust was getting burned…The strange things is that I did it once while I was living in Sydney and It was perfect !!!I loved it and so I have tried it three more times in Mexico and it has never worked. Maybe its my oven
Lucia: I’m guessing that one of the ingredients you’re using in Mexico has a different ingredient ratio than the one you used in Australia. Possibly the condensed milk. Maybe it has more water content than the brand in Australia. Good luck!
Hi Nadi. I used digestive. And the the tart seems to very crumply. Did not kind of set solid. What have I done wrong?
Thank you 🙂
Hi Maria, Sorry you had issues here – did you follow the notes in the recipe when using digestive biscuits?
I did 🙂 it set fine actually. Just took a bit longer. Was crumbly to begin with but became solid 🙂
Hi Nagi, thank you so very much for all of your fabulous amazing recipes, you are the best, your recipes are easy to follow and everything I make tastes incredible,thank you for sharing 🙏🏻
Thanks so so so much Meaghan ❤️
Hi! Thank you for sharing this recipe. It’s ultra sinful but satisfaction in every bite. Loving the caramel most!
If you close your eyes whilst eating it the calories don’t count… right?! 😂
This is to die for! Just de-li-cious.
I did it last year for Christmas and it was a total hit (Yeehaa!)
Now we have the nice fav recipes at hand with the new heart options, I wanted to come back to make sure I won’t miss it! 🙂 Love Dozer checking on him on the screen 😉
I’m so glad you loved it Malena!
Only made the caramel filling as I already had little tartlet shells I wanted to fill. This caramel filling is tops! Easy to make, sets like a dream, and the addition of the salt at the end is so amazing – the granules of salt stayed and as I’m licking the sweet bowl, ;-), I’m crunching on little bits of salt – a most delightful experience!! Thanks for sharing!
Perfect Christine, sounds divine!
Hi Nagi, I want to make this for a work potluck and was wondering if I can lessen the brown sugar to make it less sweet (since it sounds like this is very rich) without disrupting the consistency of the final product. I want to make it so it can be eaten without coffee/tea for non-super sweet tooth folks. Thanks!!
Hi Nala, Sorry I haven’t tried to be honest as I think it will effect the caramel – N x
Can this recipe be made in a tray?
Hi Nagi, I am making this recipe and wondering if I can substitute the oreo crust from the peanut butter pie for this caramel tart. Thank you.
Ohh that sounds decadent!
Helo Nagi’ i tride this cake serveral times and it is so good. Only my caremel filling stays soft. What do i wrong????
Hi Martijn, sorry you’re having issues with the caramel – Sounds like you need it cook it slightly longer so it sets. N x
Oke thank you’ i m gone try it tomorow and i let you know
Made this recipe for my son’s 21st. I made it into small tarts with a sweet shortcrust pastry instead so easier to hold. It was an absolute hit!
Great Kristin!!
Epic triumph. How do you pronounce your name?
Can I use a ceramic tart plate ?
Hi Stef, you can but you may have difficulty cutting it and getting it out!
Can we halve the recipe to make it in a 5.5” tart pan?
Hi Nagi, I am very very new to this😅. May I ask if there is any difference if I use Billington’s golden caster natural unrefined cane sugar or raw sugar or demenrara instead of brown sugar? Hope to have your advice. Tks!
Hi Nicole, I actually haven’t tried with another sugar for this recipe, I prefer the flavour of brown sugar and how it makes a nicer caramel with more of a toffee flavour – N x
I made this OMG salted caramel tart for Christmas eve diner… To die for! Absolutelly delicious!!!! And the step by step recipe made made an outstanding home cook (at least for one day). I feel so thankful to your devoted way of explaining every tiny aspect of the recipe, than i just can say Thank you Nagi!
Hi Nagi,
Just making this for the second time and it is an absolute winner!! Thank you so very much for your attention to detail in all of your recipes. One quick question though. I want to freeze this today for Christmas and I was wondering if you freeze this in the tin?? I’m nervous about wrapping it for the freezer without the ‘support’ of the tin.
Thank you for all of your amazing recipes.
Hi Lisa, I’d freeze in the tin for support! N x
Hi Nagi,
I love salted caramel chocolate and I am so happy to find this recipe! I was wondering if I can make this ahead, and let it sit in the fridge overnight, will the tart be too hard to eat it the next day? I’m gonna share this at work potluck, so I don’t know how I can reheat the entire tart before serving. Or will the tart still taste fine if I just leave it at room temperature overnight? Thanks a lot!
Would love to know the answer to this I currently have it sitting in the fridge since lunch and was going to leave overnight. Will it go hard ? I can get it out before we need it but not sure how long before just don’t want it to be hard
Hey Nagi,
Thanks for sharing your recipes :)!
I just wanted an advice.
I made this tart twice: the first time I used 2 cans of condensed milk (as mentioned in the recipe) but the consistency was very runny 🙁 , I could not slice it and I had to eat it with the spoon – yummy but awful! XD.
The second time I used 1 can only and it was PERFECT. I was wondering why this happened to me as it looks like it’s a great success for everyone using 2 cans. I always use your recipes (dishes are so delicious!) and I follow step by step. Any idea/suggestion? Thanks 🙂
Hi Valeria! Are the cans you used the same size as per the recipe?? And you followed the recipe for cooking it to thicken?? Also what brand are you using? 🙂 N x
Really yummy, thanks Nagi. Easy to assemble with the help of your video. Took this for morning tea today for “Are you OK?” Day and it was thoroughly enjoyed by my workmates.
That’s so great to hear Gen!! So glad everyone enjoyed this, thanks for taking the time to let me know – N x
I made this tart for a dinner party. Everyone absolutely loved it. It disappeared quicker than anything! So easy to make!
Thankyou
I’m glad you enjoyed this Babita! Thank you for letting me know 🙂 N x
Hello, can I leave the salt out?
You sure can if you want! N x