Salted caramel chocolate torte recipe

This rich and decadent salted caramel chocolate torte is a sure-fire hit with chocolate lovers. 

It's a little like a cheesecake, with a sweet digestive biscuit base and a creamy chocolate mousse layer over the top. Then it's finished with a drizzled lattice of salted caramel sauce. The recipe is easy to follow, with no baking required, and you only need about an hour to make it. This torte serves 8-12 people, but it keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days - so you don't need to finish it in one sitting. Serve this tasty torte with a drizzle of cream, scoop of ice cream or with a dollop more of caramel.

Ingredients

• 12 digestive biscuits, crushed
• 60g (2oz) unsalted butter, melted
• 100g (3½oz) caster sugar
• 2 level tbsp liquid glucose
• 300ml carton whipping cream
• Large pinch of salt flakes, eg, Maldon

For the chocolate layer:

• 2 egg whites
• 125g (4oz) caster sugar
• 300ml carton whipping cream
• Few drops of vanilla extract
• 300g (10oz) dark chocolate, melted
• Pinch of salt flakes, to decorate

Method

1. Line the base of a 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment. 
2. To make the base: Mix the crushed biscuits with the melted butter. Tip the mixture into the base of the lined cake tin and press it down well. Chill the biscuit mixture while making the caramel.
3. To make the caramel: Pour 4 tbsp water into a pan and add the sugar and liquid glucose. Place the pan over a low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Wash down any crystals from around the sides of the pan, using a damp pastry brush. Increase the heat and boil the syrup until it turns golden. While the syrup is boiling bring the cream to the boil in a separate pan or in a jug in a microwave oven. Remove the syrup pan from the heat and carefully pour in the hot cream, taking care in case the mixture splatters. Stir well, then return the pan to the heat and simmer for 2-3 mins. Remove the pan from the heat and leave mixture to cool and thicken.
4. Stir the salt into the caramel. Pour most of the caramel over the biscuit base and spread it out almost to the edges. Reserve the remaining caramel for the topping. Chill while making the chocolate layer.
5. To make the chocolate layer: Place the egg whites and sugar in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved, and the liquid feels smooth to your fingers. Remove the bowl from above the hot water, and then whisk the mixture to form a thick meringue.
6. Whisk the cream and vanilla extract until it just forms soft peaks. Fold the melted chocolate into the meringue mixture, and then fold in the cream. Pour the mixture over the caramel and smooth the top. Chill the torte until set.
7. Spoon the reserved caramel into the piping bag and cut off the end of the bag to give a small hole. Pipe squiggles of caramel over the top of the torte. To serve, remove torte from the tin, peel away the baking parchment from the sides and remove it from the base. Sprinkle some flakes of salt over the top

Top tip for making salted caramel chocolate torte

Grate some dark or white chocolate flakes over the top of the pudding for extra flair.

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