The Ritz Paris Cookie Tart
An easy, delicious sweet treat with a super fun gourmet twist, this Ritz Paris Cookie Tart has a rich, butterscotch base topped with dreamy chocolate chips, crisp almonds and soft, chewy caramel.
Ingredients
For the cookie dough:
- ½ cup butter
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup almond butter well stirred
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
For the topping:
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips OR half mini semi-sweet and half milk chocolate, (or 2 ounces semi-sweet and 2 ounces milk chocolate)
- ⅓ cup roasted salted almonds coarsely chopped
For the caramel drizzle:
- 2-2½ ounces store-bought soft caramels, I like Werthers 60-70g (8-10 caramels)
- 2 teaspoons cream or half-and-half
For garnish:
- flaky sea salt for finishing if desired
Instructions
For the brown butter:
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Put the butter in a large (2 quart) microwave-safe bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. With a small, sharp knife, make 3-4 small slits in the plastic wrap (for venting).
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Microwave on high power for 4 minutes. Check to see if the butter is starting to brown. You’re looking for a golden color. If it’s not there yet, microwave another minute then check again. Continue adding a minute then check the color until it’s golden. (My microwave is 900 watts and takes 6 minutes to achieve the golden brown butter.)
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Careful remove the bowl from the microwave and peel back the plastic wrap (it will be HOT!). Allow the butter to cool for 10 minutes.
For the prep:
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Center a rack in the oven and heat to 350˚F. Spray a 9 or 10-inch tart pan (with a removable bottom), generously with baking spray. Line the pan with a circle of parchment paper. Get a sheet pan out and set aside.
For the cookie dough:
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After 10 minutes, add the water, both sugars, the almond butter and the vanilla to the brown butter. Whisk until everything is well combined. Add the egg and yolk and stir again.
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Next add the baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir to incorporate. Add the flour and stir just until it disappears.
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Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread to an even layer. Scatter the chocolate chips over the top then the almond pieces.
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Place the tart pan on a sheet pan and bake for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the tart comes out clean. Don’t over bake. (You can also test with an instant thermometer for doneness. It should read 175-185˚F (79-85C.)
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Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes in the pan then remove the outer ring from the tart pan. (See Café Tips above in the post.)
For the caramel drizzle:
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Combine the soft caramels and cream (or half-and-half) in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high power for 15-20 seconds. Stir to melt the caramels. If needed, return to the microwave for another 10 seconds.
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Drizzle the caramel over the top of the tart in small pools. If the caramel starts to thicken, just pop it back into the microwave for another 10 seconds.
For garnish:
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Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt, if desired.
Recipe Notes
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.
If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn’t have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.