Baileys Salted Caramel & Chocolate Mousse Oreo Tarts

So I had some Oreos left over from making red velvet brownies with oreo cream cheese mousse the other day. Granted, I could have just eaten them, but it seemed like more fun to come up with something to bake with them (although what I came up with doesn't actually involve any baking). I've been meaning to make some tarts for a while now and although I had been planning on making pastry bases, I decided to swap those for oreo biscuit bases, topped with salted caramel and chocolate mousse. (I've been a bit mousse obsessed recently, pretty much everything I've thought of to make involves it in some form, I have no idea why I can't get it out of my mind,...) I fancied making something boozy though, so I had a rifle through the alcohol shelf....and was more than a little disappointed with the selection...wine, ale, sake, gin and baileys. Baileys it was then...I need to stock up on booze!

Irish cream however, was perfect for these. I made my usual salted caramel recipe but subbed out some of the cream for baileys, I also added some to the chocolate mousse just to make sure that you could taste it...it's definitely there but it doesn't overpower the other flavours at all and the whole thing tastes fantastic. The baileys salted caramel is ridiculously good...so good that I highly recommend making a double recipe quantity. The recipe below makes just enough for the tarts, as in, it makes enough to fill the tarts and leave a teeny bit for drizzling...It does not make enough to account for any that "goes missing"...and I'd be very surprised if you managed to make it without any "going missing"...so yeah, make double! It will keep for a good few days in the fridge, although I severely doubt it would last that long...

There is no baking involved with this recipe and although there are several elements, they are all quite quick and simple to make. I made some peanut brittle as an afterthought to scatter over the tarts before serving to add a bit of contrasting texture. It is by no means necessary, the tarts are utterly delicious by themselves, but it is tasty, quick and simple to make (just two ingredients!) and is also quite addictive to snack on...I recommend making a double recipe of that as well! These tarts make the perfect end to a special meal - chocolatey, crunchy biscuit base, topped with smooth, gooey baileys salted caramel and rich but light chocolate mousse, heaven in a crust.

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Baileys Salted Caramel & Chocolate Mousse Oreo Tarts

Oreo cookie crust tarts filled with Baileys salted caramel & Baileys chocolate mousse, topped with more caramel and peanut brittle. You will need four 10cm/4in loose-bottomed tart tins.

Servings 4

Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

Tart Base

• 154 g Oreos (1 packet, 14 oreos)
• 60 g (¼ cup) butter, melted

Caramel

• 100 g (½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
• 20 ml (1 tbsp + 1 tsp) water
• 65 ml (¼ cup + 1 tsp) double (heavy) cream
• 30 ml (⅛ cup) Baileys (Irish cream)
• 10 g (1 tbsp) butter
• ⅛ - ¼ tsp salt

Mousse

• 60 g (2 + ⅓ oz) dark chocolate
• 25 ml (scant ⅛ cup) milk
• 1 egg yolk
• 25 ml (scant ⅛ cup) Baileys (Irish cream)
• 1 egg white
• 15 g (1 slightly heaped tbsp) caster (superfine) sugar

Peanut Brittle (optional)

• 50 g (¼ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
• 50 g (2 oz) salted peanuts

Instructions

To make the tart bases

• Place the oreos in a food processor and blitz until they have become fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and blitz again until it is the consistency of wet sand. Alternatively, if you don't have a food processor, place the oreos in a ziplock bag and bash them violently with a rolling pin until they have become crumbs, tip into a bowl then stir in the butter.
• Divide the mixture evenly between four 10cm (4 inch) loose-bottomed tart tins and press it firmly across the base and up the sides, packing it down tightly.
• Place the bases in the freezer to firm up while you make the caramel.

To make the caramel

• Place the sugar and water in a heavy bottomed, light coloured saucepan. Heat, swirling the pan occasionally (don't stir), until the sugar has melted and turned amber.
• Immediately remove from the heat and pour in the cream, it will bubble up ferociously. When it has calmed down slightly, add the Baileys and the butter.
• Return the pan to a low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes until the caramel is smooth.
• Remove from the heat and add the salt, start with ⅛th tsp, taste it (very carefully!) then add more salt as needed. Allow the caramel to cool slightly (it should still be runny but not piping hot, warm is fine).
• Remove the tart bases from the freezer and spread a generous tablespoon of the caramel into the base of each, return to the freezer while you make the mousse. Reserve any leftover caramel in the fridge to drizzle over the tarts before serving.

To make the mousse

• Place the chocolate and milk in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water until the chocolate has melted, don't let the water get too hot. Stir until smooth then whisk in the egg yolk then the baileys.
• Whisk the egg white in a spotlessly clean bowl until soft peaks form, gradually add the sugar while whisking and continue to whisk until it is very thick and glossy and forms stiff peaks.
• Gently fold the egg white into the chocolate mixture, you may need to whisk a small amount of the white in first to loosen it.
• Divide the mousse between the tart bases then place them in the fridge until the mousse has set, a couple of hours.

To make the peanut brittle (if using)

• Line a small tray with greaseproof paper.
• Place the sugar in a small, heavy bottomed, light coloured saucepan and heat, swirling the pan (not stirring), until the sugar has melted and turned caramel coloured.
• Immediately remove from the heat, tip in the nuts, stir to coat then tip the mixture out onto the prepared tray. Leave until cold.

To serve

• Take the tarts out of the fridge about 15 minutes before serving. Un-mould them by placing the tin on top of a small glass or jar and pressing on the rim. Gently heat the remaining caramel until it is runny (10 seconds in the microwave ought to do it) and drizzle it over the tarts.
• Place the peanut brittle in a ziplock bag and bash it with a rolling pin until it has broken up into small pieces, scatter over the tarts. (Add the brittle just before serving as it will melt if kept in the fridge.)

Notes

1. The recipe above makes just enough caramel for the tarts...I recommend making double the quantity to account for any that goes *ahem* "missing"...
2. Likewise, the recipe only makes a small amount of peanut brittle so you might want to make double the quantity of that as well as it is quite addictive to snack on...

I'm sharing these with Totally Talented Tuesdays, Create Link Inspire, Foodie Fridays, Fiesta Friday and Foodie Friends Friday