Thank you to Debenhams for sponsoring this post! ♥
When you’re craving a Twix bar but you’re a food blogger so you want to make it into something fancy… This is what you get.
A DELICIOUS shortbread tart base, softy chewy caramel filling, topped with a creamy, rich chocolate ganache.
I was inspired to create this recipe after the lovely people at Debenhams contacted me to tell me about their latest Baking campaign and sent over some adorable baking goodies from Tala!
Tala are known for their cute, retro-style baking tools and accessories, such as this measuring container, rolling pin, pastry brush, spatula and ceramic baking beans (all pictured below). It was my first time using ceramic baking beans and what a difference! No more puffed-up, uneven tart bases.
But back to this tart… It really is just to-die-for. How could the combination of shortbread, caramel and chocolate be anything but wonderful?
I had, at first, planned to call it a Chocolate Caramel Tart but as soon as I took a bite into it, I thought “it’s like eating a Twix!” and that made me very happy.
The caramel is based on my caramel toffees recipe which gives the perfect chewy (but not too tough) texture plus a mouth-watering caramel flavour, using coconut sugar.
This tart is:
Want to make it gluten-free / grain-free / paleo-friendly? Swap the tart crust recipe for this one, using coconut flour and almond flour (obviously not suitable for nut allergies).
Vegan "Twix" Tart!
An indulgent tart with a shortbread base, caramel centre and chocolate ganache topping.
Ingredients
For the shortcrust base
- 230 g white spelt flour or plain white flour*
- 110 g vegan spread or margarine
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
For the caramel layer
- 100 g / 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 180 ml / 3/4 cup coconut cream, you can use the skimmed cream from a can of chilled coconut - reserve a tablespoon for the ganache recipe below
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
For the chocolate ganache
- 150 g dark chocolate
- 1 tbsp coconut cream
Instructions
To make the shortbread base
- Preheat oven to 180C / 350F. Use a pastry brush to brush a little oil onto a rectangular tart tin (or a 9" round tin).
- In a food processor, mix all the ingredients together until the dough starts to ball. If it's too dry, add a tiny drop of water.
- Sprinkle a surface with flour and roll the dough out, a little longer than the tin. It should be about 3/4 cm thick. Wrap the dough around the rolling pin then gently place over the tin, pressing in the sides.
- Trim off the excess edges.
- Prick the base with a fork and place some baking parchment on top, filling it with ceramic beans. This is to stop the dough from rising and keeps it nice and flat as it bakes.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes until golden brown.
- Leave to cool whilst you prepare the rest.
To make the caramel
- Add all the ingredients to a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Whisk and lower to a medium heat. Keep whisking until it's thick and beginning to turn firm (about 10 minutes)
- Pour the caramel layer onto the shortbread base and smooth with a spatula.
- Refrigerate to set, whilst you make the chocolate ganache.
To make the chocolate ganache
- Simply melt the ingredients together over a double boiler. Whisk until thick and glossy.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly before spreading over the caramel layer.
- Leave the tart to set in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
*Want to make it gluten-free / grain-free / paleo-friendly? Swap the tart crust recipe for this one, using coconut flour and almond flour (obviously not suitable for nut allergies)
Could you use peanut butter instead of vegan spread in the crust?
It would really change the recipe completely. I don’t know how it would turn out but my guess is that it would be very dry and crumbly. You could sub one tablespoon of it for peanut butter and see how that goes? You might need to use less flour.
I’ve been looking for a chocolate tart and made 3 other recipes before I tried this one. By then I was tired of throwing out chocolate, so I made a small test tart which turned out great. The next day i went to replenish my ingredients, and I bought a can that said “coconut cream”- it didn’t have the hardened bit at the top, instead the contents were like a thick coconut milk. BIG mistake. My caramel never thickened and it separated into white spots of fat. Same with the chocolate layer- the fat separated and made white streaks and globs. I am positive this is due to the coconut cream I used. A poster above described the same problem- I’m sure it’s why. So for those who don’t know, use only the hardened coconut ‘cream’ at the top of a can of coconut milk. Otherwise, this pie is amazing.
HOw is it the next day?
Delicious! It will keep well for about 3 days, kept in the fridge :-)
I always seem to have a problem when making ganache that the oils come out of the chocolate and when it sets you see white bits of oil over the surface of the chocolate. Any tips on preventing this? Never affects the flavour but looks a bit off putting. Using chocolate with 74% cocoa solids if that makes any difference?
I decided to try this recipe out because it looked delicious. My friend is obsessed with Twix but since she is now vegan she can no longer eat them. Unfortunately, this recipe did not work. The shortbread crust didn’t want to stick together while rolling it out, the caramel didn’t thicken or turn out like caramel, and lastly, the chocolate genache wasn’t easy to whisk. Wish it would’ve worked out.
Hi Kelsey, I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ve had a couple of other readers tell me it worked out great for them so I’m not sure what could have gone wrong. Did you make any changes to the recipe?
I followed the recipe to the T. It could’ve been the brands I used. Some recipes are tedious.
Really sorry it didn’t work out, Kelsey :-( It’s hard to pin point exactly what could have gone wrong. In general, if a dough won’t stick together, it’s probably too dry and needs more fat or a drop of water. If the caramel didn’t thicken, it would just need longer to cook or a slightly higher temperature and mixing the ganache should be easy with melted chocolate so if it won’t whisk, just make sure the chocolate is fully melted and then slowly whisk in the coconut cream. Hope that helps and sorry again it didn’t work out for you this time.
Stunning recipe, as always :) I could so do with a slice on this cold Monday afternoon! Beautiful shots :)
Thank you, Nadia! Yes it’s definitely a cold one today so I’m craving something extra warming and comforting right now :-)
Wow this looks absolutely heavenly!!! I must try it! Genius recipe :D
Thank you Annie! :-)
I can’t believe this is vegan, eggless , dairy nad nut free.It looks super amazing.
Thank you Nayna!
This sounds amaaaazing – LOVE the sound of that coconut caramel! I’ll take three slices please ;)
Haha! thank you Becca :-)
What??? A twix tart?? I LOVE every bit of this post. Twix used to be my favorite candy bar pre-vegan days. I love the caramel, crunch, and of course chocolate! This tart sounds extremely easy to make! Love it!
Thank you so much, Anjali! It actually is surprisingly easy to put together, will definitely be making it again soon :-)
Arggh I just wasted all my coconut sugar in cups of tea! I must go buy more purposely for this. Yum!
Haha! Coconut sugar is so good for lot’s of things, one of my favourite sweeteners. But caramel is definitely it’s BEST use ;-)
Vegan or not, please bring it on! How great does that sound. I am definitely partial to the twix bar so I am sitting here, wishing I could take a bite! Looks great, Aimee.
Haha thanks Monica! Wish I could send you a slice ;-)
Looks delicious, I can’t wait to try it! :)
Thank you Katie!
Well, I’ve seen a lot of vegan twix recipes online but none of them look as good as how this one does styled in the tart pan! It looks just incredible and I wish I had a big huge fat slice in front of me right now, lol!! It’s so fancy and pretty in that pan! One of my readers recently made my chocolate almond bars in this same kind of tart pan and it looked sooo much better than my version and photos, lol!
Thank you so much, Brandi! Something about it being in tart-form just makes it that bit more indulgent ;-) And now I’m craving chocolate almond bar tart…
Looks incredible! Love your tart which is also nut free!
Thanks Uma!
Okay, I’m drooling! this looks incredibly delicious, Aimee. I could eat the entire tart.
Well that’s almost exactly what happened with me, Linda! Thank you :-)
So yeah Aimee, mildly offended here. How could you come to my home and not bring me a slice of this!? I am seriously drooling. May be my favourite recipe of you YET. MUST try!
Hugs
K
Haha! Thank you so much, Kimberly :-) Hugs x
This looks amazing! I used to love Twix.
And in tart form… even better! Thanks Amy :)
I’m really going to have to make this! It just looks so good and I love that it is nut free also.
Thanks Nicole! Let me know if you do :D
twix is my fav candy bar..and im absolutely digging this version of yours.
Thank you Dixya!
You should have never showed this to me. I may not be able to get enough of these!
Haha, thanks Kelly!
I’m not sure what I love more, the delicious ingeniousness of this recipe or these gorgeous moody shots! With the cookie base, Twix was just meant to be turned into a tart :)
Thank you, Natalie <3 All thanks to my new tile - I never thought in my life that I would become this obsessed with tile samples haha!
O well now that sounds fabulous! I’ve never been a fan of Twix, but I think this is more my speed ;)
Thanks Rebecca!
ohhh girlllll!!!! What a fab tart! :) Twix flavour is just a winner!!! And I love Tala’s products! Pinned for sure! xxxx
Thanks Ania! Aren’t they so cute? I love the pastel colours. x
Aww, I love Twix!
And having a whole tarte with the taste of them sounds like a dream!
Lots of greetings & wishing you a great day Aimee! :)
Thank you lovely Mara!
Oh. My. God. These look so good, and with so few ingredients too?? I HAVE to make these!
I love it when I don’t have to use a ton of ingredients! Let me know if you try it, you won’t regret it :D