Caramel Chocolate Almond Tart and A Cautionary Tale

Tart!

I am, of course, referring to the buttery crispy vessel for homemade ganache and caramel. You know I'd never call you a hussy (p.s. that top looks great on you.) I've been eying this tart recipe from Bon Appétit for a while now. Plus, my sister recently surprised me with a removable bottom tart pan that I've been itching to try out. I've never made a tart before, but clearly providence was telling me to do so.  As I try to listen to My Destiny whenever possible if only to avoid making decisions, I made the tart for a dinner with a group of friends. It was incredible, and I was really impressed with myself. The process was a little labor intensive, but the end product was well worth it. I thought it was fun to watch the layers come together, and the tart looks beautiful when sliced and on a plate.

Did I mention the layers? The nuts (I used almonds) mingled perfectly with the ganache to form a bed for the caramel. And don't let making the caramel scare you away from the recipe. Bon Appétit provides easy to follow instructions that will have you swimming in caramel faster than you'd ever believe. They're not kidding when they say to occasionally brush the sides of the pan down with a wet pastry brush. Listen to them. They know. Also, I may or may not have screamed a little when the pan instantly foamed up after I added the heavy cream and butter. (It was an impressive amount of foam. No, really! And I startle easily, just ask Steve. What I'm trying to say here is) Don't be afraid of the foam. It all turns out in the end.

A warning: If you're like me and you've never used a removable bottom tart pan before, be very careful. Yesterday marked my first kitchen accident which simultaneously wrecked my work and left me slightly injured.  I pulled the tart shell out of the oven, deliberating over whether or not to bake it longer as some parts were golden and others weren't.  I hemmed, hawed, adjusted the pan to get a better look, and the removable bottom removed and shimmied down my forearm. I thought momentarily of where to put the crust, realized my skin was a sizzlin', and threw everything on the floor. Nuts. First aid was administered, and now I've got five thin, horizontal reminders to be more careful when handling hot stuff. But don't fret. When I remade the crust, the tart pan and I had a lovely time together, and all was well in the kitchen once more.