This Dark Chocolate Tart is an elegant dessert that is so easy to make. A simple cookie crust with a rich chocolate ganache filling.
The Liv for Cake kitchen has had more than its fair share of baking mishaps. Despite my seemingly endless research and planning, sometimes recipes just flop. Most recently it was the first batch of my sugar cookie cups.
I tried something new instead of sticking with my gut and modifying my tried and true cookie recipe so I had an entire batch of cracked, ugly cookie cups that I literally had to pry out of the pan. We’re talking 20 cookie cups here.
I don’t like to see anything go to waste, so I decided to repurpose some the failed cookie cups into a tart crust for this Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart.
It’s no secret that I love chocolate. If you’re at my place, you’ll always find chocolate in a variety of forms, and not just for baking.
A piece of chocolate is my go-to sweet treat after (almost) every meal. I need a little something and (sadly) it can’t always be a slice of cake!
My current non-baking stash includes:
- Lindt Bittersweet Chocolate (for the every day chocolate fix)
- Lindt Dark Chocolate Mint
- Lindt Dark Chocolate Orange
- Bag of Cadbury Easter mini assorted (impulse buy) – including caramel eggs, creme eggs, and solid chocolate eggs.
- A bunch of Laura Secord Chocolate that I keep finding at Homesense and I can’t resist (it’s not easy to find on the West coast).
- Maple Caramels (so good!!)
- Crispy Rice Milk Chocolate (but Easter themed)
- Countless Milk Chocolate Bars
- And I currently have an order in for a variety of Purdy’s Easter chocolates which I can’t wait to get.
I’m pretty sure there’s some leftover Christmas chocolate buried at the bottom of the stash too.
How to Make this Chocolate Tart
The tart crust is very easy to make. You just need a few simple ingredients:
- cookie crumbs (any kind — graham cracker, digestive, Oreo, sugar cookie, etc.)
- melted butter
- a bit of sugar
Mix it up, press it into the tart pan and bake for 7mins. SO easy, right?
The ganache filling is really just as simple too. You just need:
- good quality dark chocolate
- butter
- heavy cream
Pour hot cream over the chopped chocolate and stir until it’s silky smooth. Pour it into the cooled tart pan, let it set, and you’re done. Is that an easy dessert or what?
How to Make Ganache
I am a huge fan of ganache. There is just something heavenly about that silky chocolate and cream combo. My mouth is literally watering as I type this. I can’t think of a better filling for this dreamy Chocolate Tart!
I have a detailed tutorial on How to Make Ganache. It covers all the basics of how to make it whether for a frosting or a filling or a drip.
The one I made for this tart is slightly different though as it uses butter to add shine. The proportions are slightly different too as it’s used as a tart filling, but nevertheless, that tutorial will give you a good run-down of what to expect and how to make it.
It’s very important to use the best quality chocolate you can find especially since it’s such a prominent component in this dessert. That means no grocery store brands (Lindt can be ok though) and definitely not Bakers chocolate! What you want is couverture chocolate.
I like to use Callebaut (which I can actually find at the grocery store, but it’s not common and it’s not in the candy aisle). If you’re in a pinch and can’t find any couverture chocolate Lindt is the best grocery store one I can recommend.
I topped this chocolate tart with some sea salt flakes and Dulce de Leche. I used store-bought Dulce de Leche Sauce because I was lazy, but you can easily make your own with some condensed milk. Good old caramel is another great option or simply some fresh seasonal fruit or berries, or a fruit coulis, yum!
If you want a stunning dessert that is easy to make look no further than this easy desserts are your thing, this Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart!
Tips for this Dark Chocolate Tart:
- You can use any kind of cookie crumbs to make the base (graham cracker, digestive, Oreo, etc).
- This freezes very well. Store in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to 1 month.
- I use Callebaut dark chocolate because it’s easily available to me, but any good quality couverture dark or semi-sweet chocolate will do. Do not use Bakers chocolate.
- Slice with a hot, clean knife for cleanest results. Run the knife under hot water for a few seconds, dry, then cut — do this between each cut.
Dark Chocolate Tart
Ingredients
Cookie Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs (sugar cookie, graham cracker, digestive, etc.)*
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Dark Chocolate Ganache Filling:
- 12 oz good quality dark chocolate ** 340g, finely chopped
- 8.5 oz heavy whipping cream 1 cup, 240g
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter room temperature, broken up
Toppings:
- Maldon Sea Salt Flakes
- Dulce de Leche
Instructions
Cookie Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl until crumbly. Press firmly into a 9" tart pan (sides first, then bottom).*** Bake for 7-8mins. Cool completely in pan.
Dark Chocolate Ganache Filling:
- Place chopped chocolate and butter into a large bowl.
- In a small saucepan, bring cream just barely to a simmer. Pour over chopped chocolate and cover bowl immediately with plastic wrap. Let stand 5 mins. Stir with a spatula until combined and smooth. ****
- Pour into cooled tart shell and allow to set - overnight at room temperature or 1-2 hours in the fridge.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with dulce de leche (or any other sauce) if desired. Serve at room temperature.
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Notes
** Do not use baker's chocolate.
*** I used a flat metal measuring cup to help press down.
**** If you have unmelted chunks of chocolate in your ganache still, you can heat it up over a simmering double boiler on the stove.
Originally published on Feb 26, 2017
Ally Cat says
Loved it! I made it using Cadbury Dark Chocolate Melts and it was delicious.
Olivia says
Hi Ally Cat! So glad you loved it 🙂
Sarah says
If I wanted to use coconut cream instead, how much would I need?
Olivia says
Hi Sarah! I haven’t made it with coconut cream so I can’t say for sure.
Iman says
Hi! Currently making this to serve for Christmas dinner tomorrow.. my only question is the choc ganache is there a reason you keep it out to set overnight? Most recipes ive read aay to keep it in the fridge overnight so just wanted tk know!
Olivia says
Hi Iman! It just needs time to set and firm up. You can leave overnight at room temperature or 1-2 hours in the fridge.
Julia says
Hi there! If I am going to make these into mini tarts, can I use a muffin tin?
Olivia says
Hi Julia! I haven’t tried that myself and worry about being able to get the tarts out of the muffin tin once baked. If you have a way to get them out then it should work fine.
vivian ungar says
Does this crust crumble when sliced or does it hold together well?
Olivia says
Hi Vivian! It should hold together but it might depend on the type of cookies you use.
Nour says
Is it possible to use milk chocolate instead because I dont really like dark chocolate???
Olivia says
Hi Nour! You can use milk chocolate but the proportions would be different. It might not set as firm since milk chocolate is softer.
Wendy says
Simple and delicious! Very easy yet oh so impressive! Your guest will love you.
Thank you for this brilliant recipe! xoxo
Olivia says
Hi Wendy! Thanks so much! I’m so happy you loved it 🙂
Aiden says
Hey Liv,
Thanks for the recipe! Really clear instructions and great rich chocolate taste. My ganache did however split and was trying to figure out why that might have been? The chocolate was 100% at room temp, the butter had been out the fridge for 30mins cut up, so maybe cream temp? What do you think? Followed everything exactly.
I managed to salvage thanks gawd.
Cheers!
Olivia says
Hi Aiden! So happy you loved it! To be honest, I’ve stopped using butter in my ganache these days. I used to add it for shine, but it has caused me issues with splitting as well. I do find that temperature plays a part — if the butter was slightly cold still this could have been a factor. But also if you let the cream boil and it was too hot — this will cause the fat to separate out of the chocolate. It’s on my list to update this recipe — I would just increase the cream slightly to compensate for the butter. At what point did your ganache split? And how did you manage to save it?
Barringtonic says
Such a simple recipe, but what an incredible result. Velvety, rich and oh so chocolatey. Perfection!
Olivia says
Thanks so much! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂
inna says
Hello, how many small 4″ tart can this recipe make? Thank you 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Inna! It should make two or so.
Rhonda Mesnick says
How far ahead can I make this?
Olivia says
Hi Rhonda! It will be fine in the fridge for a week or so.
Nicole says
This might be a silly question, but how do I get the crust out of the pan and when? I’ve never made something like this before and want to make it for Christmas.
Olivia says
Hi Nicole! Not a silly question at all. I have a tart pan with a removable bottom, like this one: https://amzn.to/2QchzgB. Once the tart is filled and set, you hold it up with your hand on the underside of the tart pan and gently pull the outer ring down off of it. Does that make sense? If not I’ll try to find a video!
Theresa says
Hi there- does this freeze well?
Olivia says
Hi Theresa! Yes, it should freeze just fine!
Kathryn says
This recipe was very easy, which is great since I do not bake. I used about 3 1/2 bars ghirardelli chocolate. The lowest in the store was 72% and I at first thought it was too much but everyone else said it was fine. It was pretty rich though so maybe a bit less would be good. I used graham crackers for the crust and it was great tasting.
I didn’t have a tart pan but I had a 9 1/2 inch pie dish which worked fine.
I panicked when I took it out of the refrigerator because it was rock solid. But it warms up over time and was like a fudge consistency. I didn’t have that smooth look like the picture but o well. I did the caramel and salt flakes which was very good. Everyone like it.
Olivia says
Hi Kathryn! So happy you loved it, thanks for all your tips! It does firm up quite a bit in the fridge (due to the chocolate), but softens again at room temp as you saw 🙂 Glad everyone liked it!
Casey says
My only concern is that the ingredient list has 8.5 oz of heavy cream/1 cup. But there’s only 8 oz in a cup. Should it be 8 oz / 1 cup or 8.5 oz / 1 1/2 cups?
Olivia says
Hi Casey! 1 cup here is 250ml which is about 8.5oz. Either way though, it’s only about a 15ml (or 1Tbsp) difference so won’t be too much of an impact. It should not be 1 1/2 cups — that would be too much cream.
Nikhil says
I love dark chocolate…nice recipe
Olivia says
Thanks!
Michael Harris says
I added hazelnuts to mine and made a few ash sweet crust instead of using cookies.
syeera says
Hi,
Just to double check the recipe for the ganache.
-340g of dark chocolate
-240g of heavy whipping cream
– 4tbsp of butter. (how many grams)
Thank you.
Olivia says
Hi Syeera! The butter is about 57g.
Denise says
Can this be made without a crust?
Olivia says
Hi Denise! You mean just the ganache filling? You can give it a try but it might be a challenge getting it out of the tart pan.
Musa says
Amazing recipe … tried it for the first time and bang on… perfect ganache consistency … the only problem was with the crust as it came out a little thick maybe I didn’t push it enough in Tin …. tastes yummy anyways… thanks liv
Olivia says
Hi Musa! So happy to hear that. I need to make this one again!
aditi says
Why did my base broke down?
Olivia says
Hi Aditi! I’m not sure, perhaps your measurements were off with something?
Aditi says
Hi
i tried dis taste was absolutely fyn the probelm was just my base broke down i dnt knw why i made it with digestive busicuits
one more thing which dark chocolate u r uaing is it semi sweet or sweet or totally dark & dear what is the measuremnet of the cups can u tell me in grams so dat next tym i can take the quantity exactly
TIA
Olivia says
Hi Aditi! My dark chocolate is more on the semi-sweet side, probably about 65% or so. As for grams, below the list of ingredients you can click on Metric and it will convert everything to grams. I hope that helps!
aditi says
Hi my whipping cream is in liquid state how can i use that ?? Do i need toh whisk it first?
Olivia says
Hi Aditi! No, it should be in liquid state.
Soraida says
Thank you Olivia! First time I did it, I found a Chocolate Ganache Chocolate and it came out perfect! I now went with Lindt, and didn’t see your answer until now as I had the same experience as another commentator on this blog, it is super oily! Didn’t mix well at all and I bought 70% and did 3 bars and 4 squares, as that equaled to the amount of chocolate needed.
Olivia says
Hi Soraida! Thanks for the tips, glad it worked out for you!
Karen says
Hi Olivia and Soraida,
I didn’t quite understand whether the Lindt worked or not. I usually use Lindt and find it excellent and am wanting to try this torte soon, so would appreciate if you could clarify. Thanks so much. It looks perfect!
Olivia says
Hi Karen! I think the Lindt would work fine. If the ganache looks oily it’s because it has split (this can happen with any chocolate). You can try adding a tiny bit more cream and mixing it in until it comes together.
Soraida says
Hi! What percentage of dark chocolate please, thank you
Olivia says
Hi there! It doesn’t say, but I suspect around 55-60%. It’s not super bitter and almost more semi-sweet.
Kathleen Taylor says
I made this for Thanksgiving Day. I followed the recipe exactly. Fine chocolate, heavy whipping cream, and room temp butter. It turned out hard as a rock! So disappointed 🙁
Olivia says
Hi Kathleen, sorry to hear that you had trouble with this! Something must have been off with your measurements as the ganache is far from rock hard, even once chilled.
Kara says
I made this tart and it’s perfect. The texture is creamy and I prefer it at room temperature. I use sweet pie crust instead of the cookie base and it works just fine.
Olivia says
Hi Kara! So happy to hear that you liked it! 🙂
Kay England says
Can you double the recipe? Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Kay! Yes, you can double it for two tarts.
Erin says
Thanks for the recipe! I used Ritz Crackers for my crust (something I’d seen in a salted caramel cheesecake recipe) and poured a layer of the caramel in the tart shell before adding the ganache. It was a huge hit at the party this afternoon. Thanks again!
Olivia says
Oooh I love the idea of a Ritz cracker crust! Glad you liked it 🙂
Rukhsana says
Hi Olivia
Another winner ! So easy to make and delicious too ! I have made it only with Oreo cookies and the combination with the dark chocolate ganache is amazing ! How do you flatten the ganache to give it such a smooth finish ? Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Rukhsana! I’m so glad to hear you liked this one too! The Oreo cookie crust sounds AMAzing, I’m going to have to try that 🙂 My ganache was fairly thin and smooth once it was made, so I poured it in right away. I gave the pan a little shake after the distribute it evenly. Was your ganache on the thicker side?
Ken Rogers says
I love making this tart. I’ve added 1.5 tablespoons of bourbon to the chocolate for an extra kick.
Olivia says
Sounds delicious! Glad you liked it Ken 🙂
Renee Mitchell says
Hi Olivia,
This recipe looks fantastic! Can I make it in an oblong tart pan, 14″ x 4.5″ x 1″ ? That is the only tart pan that I have. Thanks!
Renee
Olivia says
Hi Renee! Sorry for the delay. I’m not 100% sure, but a quick volume calculation leads me to believe it should be ok! Let me know if you try it 🙂
Rachel says
Hi, I just tried to make this and my crust did not turn out! I used shortbread cookies and the mixture did not go far enough (only covered the sides) so I doubled it and it ended up just a buttery mush. Any ideas?
Olivia says
Hi Rachel! Hmm, that sounds really strange! Did you use 1 1/2 cups of the crushed cookie crumbs? And a 9″ tart pan? If so, that for sure should have been enough.
Carole says
Can you use guitars extra dark chocolate baking chips.
Olivia says
Hi Carole! Guittard should be fine 🙂
Sarah says
When I combined the chocolate, cream and butter he chocolate melted but it’s not combining. It’s just a pile of chocolate mush and oil. What can I do to fix it??
Olivia says
Hi Sarah! That’s strange… did you use good quality dark chocolate? and follow the directions? It does take a lot of stirring to incorporate it together. If the chocolate didn’t melt completely you can heat it over a double boiler to melt it more. But it shouldn’t be a pile of mush, so I suspect something went wrong somewhere.
Anne says
Olivia! How would my baking time differ if I did mini tarts instead of 1 big one?
Olivia says
Hi Anne! It wouldn’t make too huge of a difference, but I think 5mins would be fine to bake them for 🙂
Judy says
If not baking chocolate where do I find the kind of chocolate you’re talking ? I have access to Giradelli. I so want to make this fir my daughter’s Easter gathering. She’s the queen of chocoholics!
Judy says
Having obvious typing problems….sorry.
Olivia says
Hi Judy! Sorry for the delayed reply. Ghirardelli would work great! Even something like Lindt would be good, really. Just not one of the cheaper chocolate bars 🙂 Please let me know how you like it!
Kathi @ Laughing Spatula says
I made this last week and oh…my….goodness! Fabulous flavor and incredibly easy to make! Paired it with a nice cab for dessert with friends and it just blew everyone away! Thank you for the great recipe!
Olivia says
Hi Kathi! I’m so glad to hear it was a hit! I love this easy and delicious recipe 🙂
Beverley Hart Press says
I can’t believe that any of your recipes are a disaster. The look great and if you need me to fly over to test your recipes I’m your girl. Have a great week Liv xoxo
Olivia says
Aww thanks so much Beverley! I would fly you down any day!! xoxo
Cathy Doll says
Fly e over from Germany and I will try anything you want. Dying to get back to my Country. If I only had the money I would. Can you use chocolate chips for this recipe??
Olivia says
Hi Cathy! I would not recommend it unless they are a high quality brand. Both for flavour and for consistency of the ganache. You can give it a try though!
Ayesha says
Oh. My. Goodness. I think I just fell in LOVE! I canNOT wait to try it out! 😍
Olivia says
Hi Ayesha! I hope you like it!! 😀
Nila @ The Tough Cookie says
Wow, that first photo… It’s amazing! Don’t get me wrong, all of the photos rock, but that first photo instantly hit me with serious chocolate-cravings 🙂 Do you think this tart would be good with a Biscoff cookie crust instead of a sugar cookie crust? Or would that be too much…
Olivia says
Thanks so much Nila! I think it would be super yummy with a Biscoff crust. The ganache filling isn’t overly sweet so I think it would pair really well!
Jenny | The Baking Skillet says
Simple and beautiful! I love that you re-purposed your cookies instead of throwing them away 🙂
Olivia says
Thanks so much Jenny! 🙂
Meg | Meg is Well says
I HATE it when recipes fail but the only good thing about them is that sometimes you can turn it into something really delicious! This looks amazing! That shiny chocolate ganache is so perfect it’s crazy!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Meg!! xo
Carol Borchardt says
Chocoholic here. You’re killing me with this tart! This looks easy and that perfect slice is so beautiful!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Carol! I hope you try it 🙂
jacquee | i sugar coat it! says
Love how you repurposed those cookies and boy do I want to plant my face in that silky, dark well of chocolate. Ohh, I am getting all hot and bothered. 🙂
Olivia says
I don’t blame you 😉 xoxo
GiGi says
What is wrong with using ‘Baker’s Chocolate?
Olivia says
Hi Gigi! It’s usually unsweetened and I don’t find it to be good quality.
katia says
what is bakers chocolate?
Olivia says
Hi Katia! Bakers chocolate is unsweetened, made specifically for baking.
olga says
Really awesome… I know is going to be able only for chocolate addicted TOPO level, but i am not going to resirt to meke it.
You will hear about me.
Kisses
Olga
Olivia says
Thanks Olga!! xo
Victoria says
I made this recipe with four small tart pans, so good!! I ate one the night I made it, after being in the fridge for 1 1/2 hrs and it was delish. I left all of my tarts in the fridge as I live in Arizona and I don’t know if it would be a good idea to leave them on the counter in the summer. I tried one out of the fridge the next day and it seemed as though the ganache texture tasted more-so like a thick, cold frosting. Not as smooth and creamy as the first day. Should I be leaving my tart out to warm up to room temperature before I eat it?
Olivia says
Hi Victoria! So glad you liked this recipe 🙂 The ganache does firm up quite a bit in the fridge, so that’s normal. I like it both ways but if you prefer it smoother then I would leave it out 🙂