The Best Chocolate Tart

20 Apr

Baked chocolate tart on a white cake stand

Preparation time: 2 hours + 4-8 hours chilling time | Serves: 6 people

One of the greatest pleasures in life is a well made chocolate tart. There’s something about a rich, almost mousse like layer of chocolate paired with the buttery contrast of a biscuity, golden crumb that just feels so right.

This baked chocolate tart is no different, with a shortbread base and a luxe dark chocolate filling. While this recipe isn’t complicated, it requires a lot of patience, but trust me, it’s completely worth the wait.

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What makes this Chocolate Tart recipe special?

Personally I prefer the texture of a baked chocolate tart rather than a set one. The filling is essentially a very rich chocolate ganache, transformed into a deeply fudgy, dense centre with the addition of an egg.

I also like to add a tablespoon of tahini to my shortbread base for a nutty, almost savoury flavour, and it pairs so wonderfully with chocolate.

How to serve this chocolate tart -

The suggested servings for this tart are 6 people because it's so incredibly rich - a large slice will definitely knock you out (you’ll probably have the best sleep of your life), but if you’re making it for a bit of self indulgence, I highly recommend pairing it with a nip of cognac for a devious little treat.

As always, my tips, tricks and suggestions are in the recipe notes below.

Ingredients

For the base -

50 gms softened butter
1 tbsp. tahini (optional) (if not using, then use a total of 80 gms butter instead)
25 gms brown sugar
150 gms flour
1 tbsp. cocoa powder (optional)
1 egg yolk
Big pinch of sea salt

For the filling -

235 mls heavy cream
1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp. good quality vanilla essence)
200 gms dark chocolate
1 egg
Sea salt and cocoa powder, to serve

Method

Making the tart base -

Cream butter, tahini, and sugar until fluffy. Mix in flour, then add egg yolk and salt. The dough will be clumpy and sandy in texture.
Gather dough into a ball using cling wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Butter a 20 cm pie tin, then press pieces of dough evenly to form the base (extra dough can be frozen for later use.)
Chill for another 20-30 minutes in the freezer, then bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 15 minutes until golden.

Chocolate filling -

Break chocolate into chunks and place in a medium bowl.
Heat cream with vanilla seeds and pod (if using) until simmering, then pour over chocolate. Let stand for 10-12 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
Allow to cool slightly before adding the egg and whisking to combine.
Pour into the pre-baked tart base and tap gently to remove any air bubbles.
Bake for 18-20 minutes until just set (it shouldn't wobble when shaken).
Cool and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Before serving, dust with cocoa powder and a sprinkle of sea salt.

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RECIPE NOTES

Swaps, Serves & Storage

Can I use milk chocolate for this recipe?
Milk chocolate can be used instead of dark chocolate for this recipe, however it will be much sweeter. I would recommend adding a pinch of salt to the filling to balance the sweetness.
What do I serve with this tart?
This baked chocolate tart is a true chocolate lovers paradise. It’s so rich that I would recommend serving it just by itself (with the cocoa powder and salt). If you are looking to elevate it further, I would suggest fresh raspberries or strawberries to cut through the richness. A generous pour of salted caramel will also not go awry.
What temperature should I serve the tart at?
For a dense, fudgy texture serve the tart straight from the refrigerator. For a creamy, mousse like texture, keep it at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving. However you serve it, I recommend dipping a sharp knife in hot water for clean slices.
How long can I store this tart?
The tart can be stored in an air tight container for up to 4 days (if it lasts that long).

Tips & Tricks

Good quality chocolate - I love dark chocolate and prefer anything in the 70-80% mark. If you find that too sweet, look for cooking chocolate in the 50-60% range. I also recommend using the best quality chocolate you can find, but also understand this can sometimes be expensive. Truth be told, sometimes a block of supermarket dark chocolate will do the trick - like this one from Aldi.
The crust - Temperatures matter when it comes to working with anything pastry-like. This shortbread crust is no different, so try to keep it chilled when assembling. If it’s too dry, add a splash of ice cold water while mixing. Refrigerating before baking is an important step and will stop your crust from shrinking.