Decadent Chocolate Tart
This Decadent Chocolate Tart features a crisp espresso cocoa crust and a silky semi-sweet ganache, topped with stabilized whipped cream for a sweet, indulgent spring dessert. Perfect for celebrations, it balances rich chocolate with a creamy finish.
Servings 10 slices
Ingredients
For the Espresso Cocoa Crust:
- 1 ½ c. all-purpose flour 180g
- ¼ c. Dutch-processed cocoa powder 25g
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder
- ⅓ c. granulated sugar 65g
- Pinch of salt
- ½ c. salted butter, cold & cubed 115g
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 ½ tsp white wine vinegar
- 2 –3 tbsp ice water
For the Chocolate Ganache Filling:
- 12 oz 50–55% cacao chocolate chips 340g
- 1 c. heavy cream 240g
- 2 tbsp salted butter, softened 30g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
For Garnish:
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- Fresh raspberries or strawberries
- Optional: Stabilized whipped cream 1 cup heavy cream, 3 tbsp powdered sugar, ½ tsp vanilla extract, & ¼ tsp xanthan gum
- Optional Alternatives: Milk chocolate shavings, caramel, or flaked salt
Instructions
Step 1: Make the Espresso Cocoa Crust
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, 1 tsp espresso powder, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt. That cocoa-espresso combo smells like a bakery dream!
- Cut in Butter: Add ½ cup cold, cubed salted butter. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work it into coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter bits. Those chunks ensure a tender crust.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix 1 large egg yolk, 1 ½ tsp white wine vinegar, and 2 tbsp ice water in a small bowl. Stir into the flour mixture until the dough just holds together. Add up to 1 tbsp more water, a tsp at a time, if dry.
- Chill: Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Roll and Fit: Roll dough to ⅛-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Fit into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, press into edges, and trim excess by rolling a pin over the top.
- Freeze: Freeze the crust in the pan for 1 hour to prevent shrinking.
- Bake Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Prick crust bottom with a fork. Wet a piece of parchment, scrunch, dry with a towel, and press into the crust. Fill with pie weights or dried beans.
- Bake: Bake with weights for 18 minutes until edges feel firm and smell toasty. Remove weights and parchment; bake 8–10 minutes more until center is dry and firm, with a cocoa aroma. If sticky, bake 1–2 minutes more.
- Cool: Cool crust completely in the pan (~1–2 hours). Keep it in the pan for the ganache filling to ensure stability.
Step 2: Prepare the Chocolate Ganache Filling
- Melt Chocolate: Place 12 oz 50–55% cacao chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl.
- Heat Cream: In a saucepan, heat 1 cup heavy cream over medium until simmering (tiny bubbles, no boil).
- Combine: Pour hot cream over chocolate chips. Let sit 1–2 minutes, then stir gently until smooth. If chips don’t melt fully, set bowl over a double boiler with barely simmering water and stir carefully.
- Finish Ganache: Add 2 tbsp softened salted butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of sea salt. Stir until glossy.
- Fill Crust: With the cooled crust still in the pan, pour ganache into the crust, just below the edge to avoid overflow, and smooth the top.
- Set: Let set at room temperature for 2–2.5 hours, or refrigerate for 1–1.25 hours until firm.
Step 3: Garnish and Serve
- Remove from Pan: Once ganache is set, gently push up the removable bottom to lift the tart from the pan. Slide onto a serving plate.
- Garnish: Dust with powdered sugar for an elegant look, then add fresh raspberries for a tart, colorful pop. Optionally, whip 1 cup heavy cream with 2 tbsp powdered sugar, ½ tsp vanilla, and ¼ tsp xanthan gum for stabilized whipped cream, and pipe swirls. Try milk chocolate shavings, caramel sauce, or flaked salt
- Serve: Slice with a hot, dry knife (dip in hot water, wipe dry) for clean cuts. Serve at room temperature for the silkiest ganache. Serves 8–10—small slices are plenty!
Notes
Storage
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Fridge: Store ungarnished tart, wrapped or in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. With whipped cream, cover gently and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature (~30–60 minutes) before serving.
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Freezer: Double-wrap ungarnished tart for up to 1 month. Thaw in fridge overnight, then room temp before adding cream.
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Make-Ahead: Baked crust (in pan): 2 days at room temp, 5 days in fridge, or 1 month frozen. Whole tart (ungarnished): Store as above.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice
