Peppermint chocolate tart
Peppermint chocolate tart is a much-loved South African dessert made with layers of coconut biscuits, rich caramel cream and the unmistakable combination of chocolate and peppermint. Sweet, creamy and wonderfully indulgent, it requires no baking and is best prepared ahead, making it an easy dessert for celebrations and family gatherings.
The traditional South African version is made with Tennis biscuits, a type of light coconut biscuits; Caramel Treat, a canned caramelized condensed milk similar to dulce de leche; Orley Whip, a non-dairy cream substitute; and Peppermint Crisp chocolate bars, a milk chocolate bar filled with crispy mint sweets popular in South Africa. It is often grated over desserts. As these ingredients can be difficult to find elsewhere, this recipe is an adaptation using readily available alternatives: coconut biscuits, caramel or dulce de leche, whipped cream, crisp peppermint sweets and grated milk chocolate.
If you can find genuine South African Peppermint Crisp bars, use them in place of the peppermint sweets and some or all of the grated chocolate for a flavour closer to the original. Otherwise, the combination of crunchy mint candy and chocolate makes a delicious substitute.
Ingredients
Instructions
Mix crushed mint candy and grated chocolate in a bowl. Set apart.
Place the caramel in a large bowl and stir it so it becomes soft.
Whip cream until stiff and gently fold it into the caramel with a spatula.
Incorporate half of the crushed mint candy and grated chocolate into the creamy mixture.
Arrange a layer of coconut cookies at the bottom of a dish. Spoon over a layer of creamy mixture. Repeat layers until you have used the cookies and the creamy mixture, finishing with a layer of creamy mixture.
Sprinkle the remaining crushed mint candy and grated chocolate mixture on top.
Refrigerate at least 4 hours to set, better overnight.
Notes
Once assembled, the tart needs several hours in the refrigerator for the layers to soften and the flavours to meld. Leaving it overnight is even better, giving the biscuits time to absorb some of the caramel cream and creating the soft, luscious texture for which this dessert is known.
Choose the dish according to how you want to serve it. A deep rectangular or square dish is ideal for the traditional layered dessert. Individual glasses are a good option for parties and avoid the need to cut neat portions.
Variations
Dark chocolate and mint: Substitute dark chocolate for the milk chocolate. Its bitterness balances the very sweet caramel and gives the dessert a more grown-up chocolate flavour.
Chocolate biscuit version: Replace the coconut biscuits with plain chocolate biscuits for a more intensely chocolatey dessert.
Fresh peppermint: Add a very small amount of finely chopped fresh mint to the topping. I wouldn't put much into the filling—the fresh herbal flavour can easily overpower the caramel.
Extra coconut: Toast some desiccated or shredded coconut and scatter it over the finished tart. This reinforces the coconut flavour of the biscuits and adds a little texture.
Coffee-chocolate version: Add a small amount of instant espresso powder dissolved in a teaspoon of hot water to the caramel. Coffee, chocolate, caramel and mint make a surprisingly good combination, although this takes the dessert further from the South African original.
Source
Food in Africa