Try making this delicious French chocolate ganache tart at home with our easy recipe. It features a buttery, crumbly tart crust filled with smooth dark chocolate ganache. Top it off with fresh whipped cream and chocolate shavings for a perfect finish.
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If you're a chocolate lover, you can't miss the French chocolate tart. This classic dessert is a must-try and will win over anyone who loves chocolate. Perfect for any occasion, it's a delicious treat that's hard to resist!
This dark chocolate ganache tart, or "tarte au chocolat," is a classic French dessert that's both simple and decadent. Made with just two main ingredients—a buttery shortcrust pastry "pâte sablée" and a rich and creamy dark chocolate ganache.
This is a classic dessert loved by everyone and perfect for any occasion. It's also easy to customize with different flavors by adding fresh fruits, caramel, or some crunch. Here, we've kept it simple and paired it with whipped cream to balance out the intense chocolate flavor.
Why you'll love this recipe
Craving for more chocolate desserts? Give these a try : chocolte ganache frosting, Chocolate mousse pie, Chocolate mousse, Chocolate birthday cake, Chocolate yule log with rocher glaze
Ingredients you need
You need these ingredients to make the dark chocolate tart:
- Tart crust: All-purpose flour, powdered sugar, almond flour, salt, unsalted butter and cold and a whole egg.
- Chocolate ganache filling: Semi-sweet chocolate, use chocolate couverture with at least 64% cocoa butter or bittersweet chocolate or any other dark chocolate, heavy cream or heavy whipping cream with 30 % fat and sea salt.
How to Make French Chocolate Tart
Here are some quick visual instructions. Don't forget that full recipe instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the recipe card below!
Make the tart shell
Step 1: Place the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, flour, powdered sugar, almond meal and a pinch of salt.
Step 2: Add the cold butter pieces and mix with your hands until you have a sandy preparation.
Step 3: Then add the egg and gather the dough with your hands until it forms a ball of dough cover it with plastic wrap and place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
Step 4: Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of 3-4 mm and place in a tart circle or a tart pan.
Step 5: Place the tart in the freezer for 1 hour before baking it in a preheated oven at 347°F / 175°C for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
Allow the baked tart shell to cool completely to room temperature before removing from the tart pan and placing it on a large flat plate.
Make the chocolate tart filling
Step 1: Start by finely chopping the chocolate with a large knife until you have small pieces of chocolate and place it in a large heatproof container.
Step 2: Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat until it simmers and pour the hot cream all at once over the chopped dark chocolate and let it sit for a few moments.
Step 3: Mix with a rubber spatula, a wooden spoon or a hand whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
Step 4: Blend with an immersion blender if necessary to smooth out the ganache and remove any small pieces of chocolate that are not completely melted.
Assemble the tart
Pour the melted chocolate ganache into the cooled tart shell until it is completely filled and place the tart in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours until the chocolate ganache is firm.
Decorate the top of the tart with fresh whipped cream and chocolate shavings before serving with red fruits, and vanilla ice cream.
Serving Suggestions
- Fresh Berries: Serve with a side of fresh raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries to add a refreshing contrast to the rich chocolate.
- Vanilla Ice Cream: Pair with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a classic combination of warm and cold, rich and creamy.
- Salted Caramel Sauce: Drizzle with a bit of salted caramel sauce for an extra layer of indulgence.
- Mint Leaves: Garnish with fresh mint leaves for a hint of freshness and a pop of color.
- Chocolate Shavings: Add some chocolate shavings or curls on top for an elegant finish.
- Sea Salt Flakes: Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt flakes over the tart to enhance the chocolate's flavor.
- Edible Flowers: Decorate with edible flowers for a beautiful and sophisticated presentation.
- Whipped Ganache Topping: Make my whipped ganache frosting and pipe beautiful waves using a piping bag with a decorative tip.
Tips for this recipe
Storage Instructions
In the fridge: Store the chocolate ganache tart in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
Freezer: You can also freeze the chocolate tart for up to 3 months. Once completely cooled, place it in an airtight container or wrap it in plastic wrap. To thaw, let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.
Variations & Substitutions
Recipe Questions
What is the best chocolate for a French chocolate tart?
High-quality dark chocolate with at least 60% cocoa content is recommended for a rich and intense flavor. However, you can also use milk or white chocolate for a different taste.
Can I use store-bought pastry for the crust?
Yes, you can use store-bought shortcrust pastry or pâte sablée. Just make sure to blind bake it properly to avoid a soggy bottom.
How long does the tart need to set?
After pouring the ganache into the tart shell, let it set at room temperature for a few hours or in the refrigerator for faster setting. This allows the ganache to firm up properly.
Can I make the tart in advance?
Yes, French chocolate tarts can be made a day or two in advance. Store it in the fridge and bring it to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate?
Yes, you can use milk chocolate, but you will need to adjust the amount of cream. Use 80% of the amount of cream required for dark chocolate to achieve the right consistency.
More Tart Recipes
I hope you love this dark chocolate ganache tart recipe. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!
Print
French Chocolate Ganache Tart
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 10 slices
Description
Delicious French chocolate tart with a shortcrust pastry filled with a dark chocolate ganache and served with whipped cream and chocolate shavings (for a 9-10 inches / 22-25 cm tart pan - about 10 parts)
Ingredients
Tart crust
- 250 g (2 cups) Four - All-purpose
- 90 g (¾ cup) Powdered sugar
- 50 g (½ cup) Almond meal
- 1 pinch of salt
- 150 g (⅔ cup) Butter - unsalted and cold
- 1 egg
Chocolate ganache
- 200 g ( 7 oz.) Baking chocolate - semi-sweet or bittersweet
- 300 ml (1 ¼ cups) Heavy cream - full fat
- 1 pinch of sea salt
Instructions
Tart crust
- Place the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, the flour, powdered sugar, almond meal and pinch of salt.
- Mix with a tablespoon to get a smooth mixture, then add the cold butter pieces.
- Crush the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until you have a sandy mixture with no lumps.
- Then add the egg and mix gently with your hands until you succeed in gathering the dough and forming a more or less homogeneous ball.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface or between 2 sheets of baking paper to a thickness of 3-4 mm.
- Line a 9-10 inches / 22-25 cm tart ring or tart pan previously greased with butter and cut off the edges of the dough that are falling down.
- Place the tart shell in the freezer for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 345°C/ 175°C and bake the frozen tart shell for about 25-30 minutes depending on the diameter and until the pastry is golden brown.
- Let the tart shell cool completely to room temperature.
Chocolate ganache
- Finely chop the chocolate with a large knife until you have very small pieces of chocolate.
- Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl.
- Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat and remove from heat when it begins to simmer.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate all at once and let it sit for a few moments.
- Mix the ganache with a rubber spatula until you have a smooth liquid mixture.
- Blend the ganache with a hand blender, taking care not to add any air.
- Let the ganache stand for a few minutes at room temperature.
Assembly
- Pour the liquid chocolate ganache into the cooled tart shell until completely filled.
- Place the chocolate tart in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and until the filling is completely chilled and firm to the touch.
- Decorate the tart with whipped cream and chocolate shavings and serve with berries, such as raspberries or strawberries.
Notes
Storage: Up to 5 days in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container, and up to 3 months in the freezer.
Using Milk Chocolate : Multiply the amount of chocolate by 0.8 to determine the correct amount of heavy cream to add.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: tart, dessert
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 513
- Sugar: 21.5 g
- Sodium: 478.1 mg
- Fat: 33.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 45.4 g
- Protein: 11.6 g
- Cholesterol: 68 mg
Hello, this tart was delicious! The ganache was perfectly creamy, and the recipe was really well-detailed. What you’re doing is amazing; thank you for your recipes!