Dessert • February 5, 2026

Decadent Chocolate Tart

By Pastry Chef Leo • 1 Hr Prep • Serves 8-10
Slice of rich chocolate tart with sea salt

Chocolate is not just an ingredient; it is an obsession. A mood. A currency of love. This tart is the purest expression of that obsession. It strips away the unnecessary—no heavy cake layers, no distracting fruit fillings—to focus on one thing: the texture of ganache.

A great chocolate tart is a study in contrast. The crust must be short, sandy, and crisp, shattering at the touch of a fork. The filling must be silky, dense, and yielding, coating the tongue before melting away. Achieving this balance requires precision, but the steps are surprisingly simple.

Chapter 1

The Chocolate

Since chocolate is the primary flavor, you cannot hide behind sugar. Supermarket baking chips contain stabilizers (soy lecithin) that prevent them from melting into a true emulsion. For this recipe, buy bar chocolate.

Choosing Your Percentages

70% Dark Chocolate: The gold standard. Deep, fruity, slightly bitter notes that pair perfectly with the butter and cream. Use this for at least half the mix.

50-60% Semi-Sweet: If you find dark chocolate too intense, cut it with some semi-sweet. This adds sugar and cocoa butter for a softer set.

Milk Chocolate: Generally too sweet and soft for a tart of this style unless balanced heavily with dark.

Chapter 2

The Science of Emulsion (Ganache)

Ganache is an emulsion of fat (cocoa butter + milk fat) in water (from the cream). Just like mayonnaise, if you mix it wrong, it can split, becoming oily and grainy.

The Friction Method: Many recipes tell you to pour hot cream over chocolate. This works, but for a tart, we want a tighter emulsion. We use a spatula to create a "friction core" in the center of the bowl, slowly drawing in liquid until the mixture turns glossy and elastic.

The Crust Secret

We use a pâté sucrée (sweet shortcrust). The secret to a crisp bottom? Blind baking. You must weigh down the crust with beans or pie weights and bake it fully before adding the filling. A raw crust under a wet filling will never crisp up.

Chapter 3

The Recipe

Prep: 30 Min • Chill: 2 Hrs • Level: Advanced

Ingredients

For the Crust (Pâte Sucrée)

  • 125g Unsalted Butter, room temp
  • 85g Powdered Sugar
  • 1 Egg, room temp
  • 250g All-purpose Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 30g Almond Flour (optional, for texture)

For the Ganache Filling

  • 300g Dark Chocolate (70%), chopped
  • 300ml Heavy Cream (35% fat or higher)
  • 50g Unsalted Butter, cubed
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • Pinch Flaky Sea Salt (Maldon)

Method

  1. Make the Dough: Cream butter and powdered sugar until smooth but not aerated. Add the egg and mix. Fold in flour, salt, and almond flour just until combined. Wrap and chill for 1 hour.
  2. Roll & Line: Roll dough to 3mm thickness. Line a 9-inch loose-bottomed tart tin. Prick the base with a fork. Freeze for 20 minutes (prevents shrinking).
  3. Blind Bake: Line crust with parchment and fill with pie weights. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 15 mins. Remove weights. Bake another 10-15 mins until golden brown. Cool completely.
  4. Make the Ganache: Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring cream to a gentle simmer (do not boil aggressively). Pour cream over chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute.
  5. Emulsify: Using a spatula, start stirring in small circles in the center. As it turns dark and glossy, widen your circles. Stir in the butter and vanilla until smooth and shiny.
  6. Pour & Set: Pour ganache into the cooled shell. Tap gently on the counter to pop bubbles. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours (for a creamy texture) or fridge (for a dense texture).
  7. Serve: Sprinkle with flaky sea salt just before serving. Slice with a hot, dry knife for clean edges.
Chapter 4

Serving Suggestions

This tart is intensely rich. You need something to cut through the density.