This rich Chocolate Ganache Tart is an elegant and delicious dessert. Just imagine a thick silky ganache made from simple ingredients like cream, butter, and divinely rich chocolate sitting atop a flaky buttery tart shell. Are you drooling yet? Oh, I forgot the dollops of whipped cream on top for even more lusciousness.
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If you want to make a dessert for your special someone, this tart is perfect for Valentine’s Day, because who doesn’t love chocolate and little candy hearts? Everyone will think you bought this tart from a pastry shop, but this beauty is easy enough to make at home.
Scroll down for more ways to serve this tart besides Valentine’s Day, because it’s a delicious dessert to serve anytime, especially if you are CRAVING CHOCOLATE!
Before we get started I want you to know, this recipe is not hard to make. With a simple shortcrust dough and the four-ingredient rich chocolate ganache, this dessert comes together with little effort. The biggest requirement for this tart is giving the dough and ganache time to chill.
My chocolate recommendations
Since this dessert is all about chocolate, make sure you use the best chocolate you can find. My suggestions are Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Chips, Guittard Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Wafers, or Callebaut Dark Chocolate Callets which are like chocolate morsels.
Tart Ingredients
For the shortcrust dough
- Flour
- Sugar
- Salt
- Egg Yolk
- Butter
- Cream
- Water
- Vanilla
For the chocolate ganache tart filling
- Chocolate – use a good quality dark chocolate that is in wafers or coarsely chopped solid chocolate
- Cream
- Unsalted butter – room temperature and cubed
- Vanilla extract
How to make a shortcrust dough
First things first for making this tart is preparing the shortcrust tart dough. The recipe I use is made in the stand mixer and comes together quickly. Once the dough is made you can roll it and fit it into the tart pan. Just make sure to chill the dough before baking.
I have a whole post with the shortcrust tart dough recipe and how to blind-bake the tart crust. There you will find all the information you need to make a golden brown tart shell just like this one.
And for a variation try this chocolate tart crust that is also easy to make and doubles the chocolate flavor in this tart.
The tart pan
When making a tart you need to use a tart pan with a removable bottom which allows you to remove the tart by pushing it up from the bottom after baking. I like this 9.5″ tart pan, it’s heavy-duty steel and does not warp from the heat.
What is Ganache, it sounds fancy, doesn’t it?
Ganache is a French term and is made with two basic ingredients, chocolate and cream, that are melted together to become silky-smooth. Depending on how you are using the ganache, other ingredients can be added to enhance the flavor and consistency, such as flavorings, butter, or corn syrup, such as these chocolate truffles made with Bailey’s Irish Cream.
While the ganache is still melted, it can be poured on top of cakes or drizzled on desserts. You can whip the melted ganache, which will turn it into a fluffy mousse-like texture that is perfect for fillings or icing cakes. Use ganache as a filling for pies and tarts or as a center for chocolate truffles. There are so many chocolate possibilities.
How to make Chocolate Ganache
The hardest part about making the chocolate tart filling is heating the cream, and that really is not hard, and is very quick to make.
Step 1. Add the chocolate wafers or the chopped chocolate to a large bowl. If you decide to chop a chocolate bar, make sure it is chopped to about the size of a nickel or the size of the chocolate wafers shown in the bowl.
Step 2. Have room temperature butter ready.
Step 3. Heat the cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it just starts to boil. Immediately pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 30 seconds.
Step 4. After 30 seconds, stir the cream and chocolate and start adding about a tablespoon of butter to the chocolate. Keep adding the butter and stirring until the butter is completely melted.
Adding all the butter at once will cool the cream/chocolate mixture too quickly, so add it in slowly.
If the chocolate and butter stop melting by chance, just pop the bowl in the microwave for 25 seconds and stir again.
Step 5. Place the baked tart shell still in the tart pan on a baking sheet or tray. Once the ganache is made, pour it into the cooled shortbread crust and chill for an hour or until firm.
Look at this wonderfully silky and glossy ganache.
Add a sweet whipped cream topping.
Step 6. Pour the whipping cream into a large bowl and whip until stiff peaks form.
Adding a whipped cream topping looks so pretty and adds a nice creamy sweetness against the dark chocolate. Piping rosettes on top is easy with a 16′ pastry bag and a 2D piping tip. Just fill the bag with the whipped cream and pipe rosettes.
You can make pretty decorative chocolate pieces using a candy mold like this Fleur de lis mold to set on top of the rosettes which will add some extra bling to your tart. Just melt some chocolate in the microwave and fill the mold, set it in the fridge until set, and pop the chocolates out of the mold.
You could even use colored candy melts to make these decorative pieces. Maybe use red and make hearts.
If you don’t have a pastry bag, that’s okay. Even if you do or you just don’t want to get it out, simply spoon some dollops of whipped cream on top or even spread the whipped cream over the entire tart. Whatever you do, it will be delicious.
This tart is a chocolate lover’s dream dessert, perfect for those of us on a chocolate diet. I should know!
A tart for any occasion
This is another reason I love this tart besides that it is easy to make, but I can just add my favorite sprinkles on top for specific seasons or occasions. I even added crushed peppermint candies for a Chocolate Christmas Tart. There are just so many possibilities.
Make sure to Pin for Later!
More One Hot Oven chocolate treats
- Brownies with Peanut Butter Cup are rich and chewy with the classic pairing of chocolate and peanut butter. The best part is they are made with a box brownie mix. This is a great kid-friendly recipe to get kids in the kitchen that love to bake.
- This Chocolate Torte has six layers of chocolate, I’m not kidding, and this cake is delectable.
- My husband’s favorite Chocolate Beer Cake is made with stout beer. It’s rich and very chocolatey. We make these every year for his birthday, and sometimes just for no reason because he likes this cake so much.
- Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Muffins have the classic flavors that everyone loves, chocolate, and peanut butter. This muffin has become a family favorite and gets made a lot.
- Chocolate Cookies with double the chocolate, what more can I say? These rich and chewy cookies are hard to resist.
- For a no-bake treat, make this No-bake Chocolate Cheesecake with Oreo Crust. It’s rich and creamy and always a favorite dessert.
More One Hot Oven tart recipes
- Strawberry Curd Tarts are made with a simple tart shell and filled with sweet and creamy strawberry curd made from fresh strawberries.
- Pecan Tassies are bite-sized tarts that taste just like pecan pie. The easy cream cheese tart dough is filled with a caramel pecan filling that bakes up golden brown. These are always on my holiday brunch table.
- Jelly Roll Pie Tarts are simply pie dough that is spread with your favorite jelly, rolled up, sliced, and baked. These jelly roll-ups are seriously addictive. You will want to just make pie dough so you make these tarts.
- When peaches are in season, this Peach Tart with Almonds and Vanilla Bean makes a delicious dessert that is super easy to make. The almond filling is incredible, and the fresh peaches are covered with vanilla bean seeds for a flavor combo that you will love.
- Looking for some Valentine’s Day Movie and Food ideas? This delicious tart is included along with other great menu items.
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Recipe
Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart
Ingredients
Shortcrust Tart Dough
- 1 ¼ cups AP flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoons Salt
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon ice water
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream optional can use water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
- 10 ounces Dark Chocolate Wafers
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whipping Cream and Hearts
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- Red candy heart confetti
Instructions
Short Crust Tart Dough
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment put the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl and mix.
- Cut the cold butter in cubes and then add to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal. The butter pieces should be about the size of a pea. Do not overbeat.
- In a small bowl add the egg yolk, water, cream, and vanilla. Mix together then add to the mixing bowl and mix on low until the dough pulls away from the sides.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 12" circle to fit a 9 ½" tart pan.
- Roll the dough around the rolling pin and place it over the tart pan then unroll the dough and fit the pastry into the pan. Press th1e corners and edges of the dough to fit the pan and cut off the excess dough.
- With the tines of a fork, press the tines into the dough to allow for venting. Place the tart pan with the dough into the refrigerator and chill for 15 -30 minutes
Baking the Shortcrust Dough
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. You will need to weigh down the tart dough before baking to keep it from puffing up and losing its shape.
- Remove the tart dough from the refrigerator and cut a piece of parchment paper in a 12" circle and press on top of the tart dough, then fill the tart dough pan with sugar to almost the top and spread into a flat layer making sure to get to the edges.
- Place the tart pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until you can see the top of the tart dough has turned light golden brown. Carefully remove the pan and place on a cooling rack.
- To remove the sugar, scoop out the sugar until it is easy enough to pick up the parchment paper from the tart without spilling sugar. The sugar is still good and can be reused. It may appear a bit golden in color but it is usable.
- Let the tart shell cool completely before filling.
How to make the ganache filling
- Set the cooled tart shell on a baking sheet or a tray that can fit inside your refrigerator. doing this makes is easier to move the filled tart shell without spilling.
- In a medium-size bowl add the chocolate either in chips, wafers or coarsely chopped
- The butter should be at room temperature.
- Heat the cream over medium heat in a small saucepan until it starts to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat and pour the cream over the chocolate. Let this sit for about 30 seconds, then start stirring the chocolate.
- With a tablespoon scoop some butter and add to the hot cream and chocolate and continue stirring. Continue adding butter and stirring until all the chocolate and butter have melted. If this mixture has not completely melted place it in the microwave for 25 seconds to melt and then continue stirring. The ganache should be smooth and glossy.
- Once all the chocolate and butter are melted immediately pour the ganache into the baked shortcrust tart shell. Chill the tart for an hour until the ganache is firm. Slice with a warm knife and serve.
Whipped Cream (optional)
- Whip 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and pipe rosettes around the tart. You can also spread the whipped cream over the top of the tart.
- Add sprinkles of your choice on top of the whipped cream.
Notes
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Nutrition
First published: Jan. 7, 2020. Last updated: Feb. 6, 2023, for better readability.
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About Jere’
From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing both sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.
I made this gorgeous tart for a special birthday dessert and it was a huge hit. This was so fun to make and almost too pretty to eat! (Almost, haha!). loved this pretty tart!
Hi! If I need a smaller batch can I halve all of the ingredients and get the same results? Thank you!
I have not tried halving this recipe so I never know if that will work, usually it does. For the ganache, halving the recipe should be fine. For the tart dough, you can make the recipe and then just use the amount of dough you need for the tart and freeze the rest for later.
What a fantastic, simple dessert to make for any occasion, just change the topping… I love it
What a fabulous and decadent dessert! Will definitely make it again.
This looks amazing!. I’m going to prepare this for my grandchildren for our Valentine’s Day dinner!
I just loved this recipe! Such a great chocolate tart when you looking some thing decadent!
The chocolate ganache is incredibly silky smooth. And I SO love how that touch of vanilla makes it outstanding!
This would be a wonderful Valentine’s Day treat. So rich and chocolatey.