The pink blossoms definitely give a wonderful touch for my photos in this post. Aren´t they just so pretty and elegant?
But the subject of this post is not flowers but another challenge set by The Daring Bakers! This month test is set by two talented members – Veron and Patricia. These girls really know my heart since they have chosen something very rich, buttery and chocolaty for us – Milk Chocolate and Caramel Tart.
The recipe for the tart might sound easy, but Veron was so true to tell us to “read between the lines”. With a rather brief instruction, all my past tart-making experience came handy and helped me to avoid certain disasters. Nevertheless, this challenge still provides me with new lessons in baking.
First lesson: experience is important!
The major challenge of this tart is to make the caramel layers. The recipe calls for `the dry method´ of making caramel, which means melting and caramelising sugar. The alternative method, which also includes water and corn syrup, reduces the chance of burning the sugar.
The dry method is good for me as I have been making caramel for this famous Vietnamese dish since childhood. This skill became handy as I proceeded through the recipe. Personally, I prefer the dry method better because it is quicker and tends to produce deeper flavours.
How I love the beautiful shiny caramel syrup here?
This lesson came along when I decided to make some decoration for the finished tarts. I pictured a lovely sugar cage covering my lovely little tart. With that in mind, I searched for the recipe in one of my trusted baking books. You see, making sugar cage requires melting the sugar with syrup and water until candy stage. Having passed through the caramel making stage, I was confident that this would be easy to do.
But no, no, no! I nearly burnt the sugar and my pot because I forgot to read the final steps carefully. Worse, the melted sugar was everywhere on my kitchen bench and it took sooooo long to clean the whole things up. So as a result, I ended up with something not quite as expected. See the messy sugar decoration on my plate? That was all I got after nearly burning the kitchen down.
Overall, the tart is on the sweeter and richer side so it is best to enjoy in small portion with a cuppa. And milk chocolate works here since it does not overwhelm the caramel flavours. Nevertheless, I might try to use dark chocolate next time to see how it goes.
I love your decorations! Your caramel set up WAY better than mine did! Great job.
Lovely! Just lovely! I like how you decorated it too. Well done you!
Beautiful tart! I love the little decorations. So glad you didn’t burn down your kitchen with the caramel :D.
What cute decorations! There’s nothing worse than burnt sugar hissing at you. But you did so well – your tart is phenomenal!
Your final tart is so adorable! Love how you used your burnt sugar. Very cute! ANd also smart to omit the cinnamon. I made the tart early in the month, so I went against my initial hesitation to include it.
I’m starving now. It looks great.
I love how your tart looks – great job!
Oh Anh your tart is so pretty
Your blog is always the first one I visit whenever it’s Daring Baker’s Challenge. I was completely mesmerized! How could anyone have the heart to eat such a beautiful tart. In my case I might as well stare at it and preserve it forever…really…I’m so impressed 
Anh,
That looks great. It really does sound like it would be challenging to make (well, for me anyways).
Beautiful job and beautiful job! I so want a slice of yours!!!
Your tart is just the cutest, pretty little thing. Well done.
Congratulations on mastering the dry method! I’ll have to give that another try sometime.
Your tart is so beautiful. Sigh, so jealous. What a great job. I tried the dry method without success. Maybe I will get it one day.
I love the way you decorated the cake, caramel cage or not, it looks very sophisticated.
Your tart (including the almost burnt sugar decoration on the plate) is charming. It is interesting how we can forget to look at the recipe when we think we know what we are doing, then, ooops. The tiny hearts are so cute and I love that you piped the mousse.
Anh, this is so pretty! nice shots as always. Love the flowers!
Oh, Ahn, your decorations are beautiful. I so need a course in presentation…
– Anh, you did a wonderful job. Marvelous. I agrre 100% for the flowers, it’s so romantic.
so sweet! and the plated tart looks gorgeous!
Beautiful decoration and clever idea to pipe the mousse on the tart. Well done Anh!
How sweet! So elegant! Well done, great job
Looks beautiful, Anh – especially the pink flowers, of course:) I nearly burnt down my kitchen as well, but as I really loved this cake, it was all worth it:)
Look what you did! I am blown away by your decorations. It looks like a fabulous fantasy dessert!
Thatb looks soooo pretty…well done!
Really pretty, the little hearts set it off so well. Well done
Great Tart Anh. I love the little pink hearts.
I love the styling of your photos. Gorgeous tarts and beautiful flowers!
Ah, it’s more fun where there is a bit of risk involved, no? OK, so you didn’t burn down your kitchen, but you produced this darling tart instead. A happy ending!
You are so inspiring! Little details that count on your decoration!
They are Heavenly!! Little Hearts in there perfects it:)
Nice blog you have got here Anh, with lovely pics…surely the pink blossoms are wonderful and so is your dish
What a precious little tart. I love the presentation with the swirl on the plate. And yes, isn’t it funny how “experience” can sometimes be something to be reconned with…=)
“The pink blossoms definitely give a wonderful touch for my photos in this post. Aren´t they just so pretty and elegant? ” I was thinking of the same thing even before I read that first line :))) Btw, nobody sees the ‘mess’ u re referring to, in the plate…what everybody sees is a beautiful tart and with some cute pretty hearts
Awesome :)
These are gorgeous as always!!
Anh…wow! I love your pretty pink flowers…they are indeed very elegant. And your tarts…breathtakingly beautiful! I admire all of the Daring Bakers for their talent and adventurous baking spirit.
Your presentation of these tarts is so professional, and so lovely.
Anh, these photos are breathtaking, my dear friend! Wow!
The pink flowers do make the the pic even more beautiful but then look at the decorations on the the tart! You totally rock, Anh!
I really like how you plated it, Anh! It’s like magazine shot!
could your lil tart be any cuter? I don’t think so!
Incredible, incredible, incredible pictures!!!
Lovely. I saw a big tart housing those mini tarts. Wow! Nice unique tart you have
Beautiful photos — and even without the caramel cage, your tarts are lovely.
Hmm, burning down the kitchen, that would be the ultimate price to pay for being a daring baker and I see you’re not alone in the pyromania stakes. I can imagine how long it would’ve taken to clean solid caramel from your benches, pots are easy, just let ’em soak. You tart looks dreamy and luscious, I really love the way you interpreted the recipe. Great job.
It’s beautiful even without the cage! I love the color of your caramel it looks so rich and deeply flavored. The flowers and decorations on top are adorable!
I love the piped on mousse with the little hearts on and the blossom is beautiful too. I’d love to try making spun sugar with an expert and in their kitchen (so I didn’t HAVE to clean it up).
This is just too cute a tart!
As always a beautiful cake and beautiful photos!
Your tartlets look incredibly cute Anh, with the little decorations. I love the way you piped the chocolate mousse. Glad I’m not the only one ‘forgetting’ to put cinnamon in the crust.
That looks so beautiful! I think the decoration on the plate worked well, even though it wasn’t what you originally planned.
Two thumbs for you!
Such a wonderful job! Looks beautiful!
How sweet!
Fish with caramel sauce? Really? That might be something I have to try.
wow, wow, WOW!!! Anh, your tarts look so pretty, so perfect! These are the best looking ones that I’ve seen of the DB so far (ooops, I hope I haven’t offended anyone…). Your are so talented and creative.
wow! so pretty and cute! Picture perfect and delicious!
That is really a beautiful and imaginative presentation
Your tart looks beautiful and your photos are stunning!
How cute. Your photos are really artistic.
Ooooh! Your tart is adorable! Love the little pink hearts
Oh I would love to eat that! Sorry to hear about your sugar cage not working out. The caramel on the plate looks pretty though!
That is fantastic decoration! Beautiful.
Very nice pictures and styling :)
I love it! LoVE love love!
Hai, pls chk this link http://www.zlio.com/?r=119312
I love your little tarts. I like the “messy” sugar decorations too. Looks so randomly planned. Your photographs are beautiful with the flowers and petals scattered. Wendy
Lovely little tarts with cute little hearts!!! Great job!