Caramel Tart Recipe

Brown the butter by heating a stick of butter in a saucepan over medium heat, while stirring intermittently. It will melt, bubble, foam and then the milk solids will toast and settle on the bottom.
113 grams Danish Creamery European Style Sea Salted Butter browned to 93 grams
Allow the butter to cool for 15-30 minutes so it’s not piping hot. Grease a shallow 9” tart pan and set it aside.

In a small bowl, combine the brown butter with the flour and sugar, mixing just until it looks like cookie dough.
93 grams browned butter slightly cooled, 120 grams all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, 50 grams granulated sugar
Spread the dough into the prepared pan, bringing it up on the sides and trimming off any excess. Freeze until it’s solid, about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350F/177C convection and place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough and then fill it with with pie weights (or dry beans or dry rice).
Bake for about 16 minutes, then remove the pie weights (I just pinch all four corners of the parchment together and light up. Bits of the crust will stick to the paper, you can scrape it off and press it back into your pie or just let it be if the crust looks fine). Finish baking for about 5-7 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Allow the crust to cool to room temperature.

Place the sugar and water in a medium size heavy bottom sauce pan. Swirl the pan until the sugar is immersed in water. Place the saucepan over medium heat and allow the sugar to fully dissolve in the water, gently swirling the pan every minute or so.
300 grams granulated sugar, 120 mL water
Bring the sugar and water to a simmer and lower the heat to low. Place the lid on the pan and allow the mixture to simmer until the color begins to darken to a light amber color, this should take about 10 minutes. Make sure to remove the lid and check the color at least every minute.
You can gently swirl the pan every couple of minutes but DO NOT STIR IT WITH ANYTHING. If there are crystalized pieces of sugar on the sides of the pan, the steam running down from the lid should dissolve them but if it doesn’t, you can use a pastry brush wet with water to brush them away.
Once the sugar is a dark amber color, remove it from the heat. Stir in the butter until it’s melted, then add the heavy cream, whisking until the caramel is smooth.
85 grams Danish Creamery European Style Sea Salted Butter, room temperature, 120 mL heavy whipping cream
Pour the caramel sauce in a heat proof jar and stir in the salt and vanilla extract.
1/2 tsp fine sea salt, 1 tsp vanilla extract
Allow it to cool until it’s not piping hot, about an hour. Then pour on top of the cooled crust and allow it to cool completely. Refrigerate until the caramel is set.

Bring a small pot with 1/2 cup of water to a boil and lower the heat to simmer.
Place the egg whites and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and place the bowl over the simmering water for 5-10 minutes, whisking intermittently until the granulated sugar is completely dissolved (if you’re taking a temperature, take the eggs up to 160F (71C).
100 grams egg whites room temperature, 133 grams light brown sugar lightly packed
Once the sugar is dissolved, remove the bowl of egg whites from the heat. Use the whisk attachment to beat the egg whites with the sugar.
Beat for about 5 minutes on full speed and then add the vanilla, mixing just until it’s combined.
1 tsp vanilla extract
Spread meringue on the tart and use a culinary torch to toast the top of the meringue. Serve fresh or refrigerate until serving.