This Caramelized Garlic Tart is absolutely heavenly! The garlic is caramelized with rosemary, thyme, and balsamic, leaving it herbaceously sweet. Two different types of goat cheese mean extra flavor. This recipe is for those times when you want to make something extra special!
Caramelized Garlic
You’re very familiar with caramelized onions, obviously. They get a star role in everyone’s beloved favorite soup. But caramelized garlic…now that’s a new story.
This Caramelized Garlic Tart can be explained simply in one word: heavenly.
Truly, that’s the only way to describe this gorgeous dish. It would be beautiful on a brunch buffet, served as an appetizer, or simply on its own with a light salad.
This recipe should be reserved for special occasions. I’m not going to lie. This is a little bit more of a labor intensive recipe than I’m used to.
But 1000% worth every extra minute and step.
The garlic is blanched, sautéed with olive oil, and reduced with balsamic, rosemary, and thyme. Read: kitchen smells other-worldly-good.
The custard includes soft goat cheese (my favorite), a more mature and hard goat cheese, cream, creme fraiche, and eggs.
All nestled in to light puff pastry, and baked to perfection.
This surely will be a recipe you make time and time again!
Caramelized Garlic Tart
Ingredients
- 13 oz puff pastry, defrosted if frozen
- 3 medium head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 4 1/2 oz soft, creamy goat cheese, such as chevre
- 4 1/2 oz hard, mature goat cheese, such as goat gouda
- 2 eggs
- 6 1/2 Tbsp heavy cream
- 6 1/2 Tbsp creme fraiche, (or greek yogurt)
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Roll out puff pastry into a 16-inch circle. Fit puff pastry into an 11-by-1 1/2-inch round fluted pan with a removable bottom. Place a parchment paper-round on top of puff pastry; top with pie weights or dried beans. Transfer to refrigerator; chill for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer tart shell to oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove weights and paper and bake until pastry is golden, 5 to 10 minutes more. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Place garlic cloves in a small saucepan filled with water. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer; simmer for 3 minutes. Drain and return cloves to saucepan. Add olive oil and place saucepan over high heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is fried, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar and 1 cup water; bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Add sugar, rosemary, chopped thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Continue simmering over medium heat until most of the liquid has evaporated and garlic is coated in a dark caramelized syrup, about 10 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Break both goat cheeses into pieces and scatter in tart shell; spoon garlic cloves and syrup over cheese. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, cream, creme fraiche, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Pour egg mixture over cheese and garlic filling, making sure the cheese and garlic are still visible.
- Transfer tart to oven and bake until tart filling is set and top is golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before removing tart from pan. Trim tart as necessary and garnish with thyme sprigs; serve.