This rich chocolate ganache tart with a crunchy cookie crumb crust is the ultimate way to finish off a special meal. It’s make-ahead friendly for date nights, dinner parties, and holiday menus.
This chocolate hazelnut tart is inspired by the amazing texture and flavor of Ferrero Rocher hazelnut truffles, one of my favorites, especially during the holidays. This tart captures that great crunchy texture along with the smooth, rich chocolate and toasted hazelnut flavor perfectly. It’s an ideal dessert for holiday dinners, New Year’s Eve, and any special occasions you have coming up.
ingredient notes for your hazelnut tart
- chocolate sandwich cookies
- These are needed to make the crumb crust. I used a generic version of Oreos, but almost any kind of stuffed chocolate sandwich cookie should work fine in this recipe. Just make sure they are about the same size as traditional Oreos. Feel free to use a gluten free variety to make this tart gluten free, too.
- toasted hazelnuts
- the irresistible nutty flavor in this chocolate hazelnut tart comes from toasting the hazelnuts (in the oven or in the microwave) so don’t skip this simple but important step. It’s easy to do and once you inhale the aroma of those ground nuts you’ll be so glad you did!
- chocolate
- I used a mixture of semisweet and milk chocolate chips here, because I wanted to capture that sweet but not too sweet vibe of the iconic hazelnut truffles that inspired the tart. I think it worked great, but feel free to use whatever kind of chocolate sounds the best to you!
- salt
- I think a final flourish of flaky salt (I used Maldon salt) really brings out the flavors in this tart, but you can definitely leave it off if you prefer.
chocolate hazelnut tart variations
- Use all milk chocolate or all dark chocolate to customize the intensity and sweetness of this dessert.
- I would love to try a toasted almond version of this recipe – use ground almonds just the same way hazelnuts are used here, mixed with the chocolate ganache and sprinkled on top as decoration. You could even add a tsp of almond extract to the ganache for another layer of flavor that pairs so well with chocolate.
- Add a little Frangelico liqueur to the ganache after taking it off the heat for more hazelnut flavor. I’d add about a tablespoon.
- Use vanilla sandwich cookies in place of the chocolate sandwich cookies for the crust.
- Make a regular pastry crust for your tart.
no-recipe whipped cream to serve with this tart
If you’ve never made homemade whipped cream before, it’s a cinch! Just follow these general directions
- Pour your heavy cream into a large mixing bowl
- How much? I’m usually not too precise about it, but use about a cup or a cup and half if you want enough to dollop on all 12 servings of this tart. Remember, having a bit too much is always better than having too little!
- Using a wire whisk, whip the cream until it starts to thicken
- This will take a few minutes. At this point I usually pass the bowl around to whoever happens to be standing in the kitchen for a turn.
- Add sweetener and flavorings if desired
- I toss in about 1/2 tsp of sugar per cup of whipped cream for a lightly sweet topping – sometimes I used granulated sugar, sometimes I use powdered sugar. Start with a little and taste it to see how you like it. You can always add more.
- A small pinch of salt can help bring out the flavor of the cream.
- A small dash of vanilla extract, almond extract, or liqueur of your choice is a great way to flavor whipped cream.
- You can also add a pinch of a spice like cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Continue whipping until soft peaks form
- I like a softer whipped cream to serve with a pie like this, but you can whip it a little further for stiffer peaks, especially if you want to pipe your whipped cream for an extra fancy presentation.
I like to make a whipped topping like this at the last minute for serving, but it will keep fine in the fridge for a few hours if you’d like to make it ahead.
the bottom line
This delicious chocolate hazelnut tart has a wonderfully unique personality that sets it apart from other chocolate tarts. Instead of the silky ganache filling in my Chocolate Ganache Tart, this one gets added flavor and texture from finely ground toasted hazelnuts. For such a luxurious dessert this one has a minimal ingredient list and simple prep.
It makes an absolutely stunning presentation, and slices like a dream. Add in the fact that you can make it ahead and stash it in the fridge ’til needed and you’ve got one perfect dessert for entertaining.
Chocolate Hazlenut Tart
My chocolate hazelnut tart has a rich chocolatey flavor and a crunchy texture inspired by Ferrero Rocher truffles ~ it's the ultimate indulgence!
Servings: 12 servings
Equipment
- food processor for grinding the nuts
- 10 inch tart pan with removable bottom
Ingredients
for the crust
- 22 chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreos)
- 2 Tbsp melted butter (I used unsalted)
for the filling
- 8 ounces whole raw hazelnuts
- 1.25 cups heavy cream
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 6 ounces milk chocolate chips
- 2 Tbsp butter, unsalted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- flaky sea salt for garnish (optional)
Instructions
to make the toasted hazelnuts
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Spread the raw, whole hazelnuts out on a baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, tossing once or twice during baking to prevent burning. The hazelnuts should be fragrant and starting to turn a light toasty brown. Remove and set aside to cool.
to make the crust
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a food processor, blend the cookies until very finely ground. Remove to a medium sized mixing bowl and drizzle the melted butter over the cookie crumbs.
- Mix until evenly combined. Transfer the crumb mixture to your tart pan, and press the crumbs into the pan to form a crust. Using the bottom of a cup measure can help flatten things out. Press the crumbs up the side of the tart pan as well too, about an inch high (this may not reach the top of your tart pan depending on its height)
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool while you make the ganache filling.
to make the ganache filling
- Add almost all of the hazelnuts to the bowl of a food processor (I reserved a handful of whole toasted nuts to decorate the top of the tart) and pulse/process until finely ground but retaining a little bit of texture. Set aside.
- Add the heavy cream to a small, heavy bottomed saucepan and place on the stove over medium heat. Heat the cream until it is almost at a boil, but not quite. You should see small bubbles forming at the sides of the pan and steam rising from the cream.
- Remove from the heat and add the chocolate chips to the hot cream. Let the cream and chocolate chips sit for a few minutes to melt.
- Gently stir the chocolate chips into the warm cream until the mixture starts to become smooth, shiny, and even. Add the vanilla extract, along with 1 1/2 cups of the ground hazelnuts, and mix well to get everything thoroughly combined.
- Pour the ganache mixture into your tart shell. Use the remaining ground hazelnuts, reserved whole nuts, and flaky sea salt to decorate the edge of the tart.
- Carefully place the tart in the fridge to chill for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
- The tart will last several days in the refrigerator. It can be frozen for longer storage.
Nutrition
Calories: 493 kcal · Carbohydrates: 36 g · Protein: 6 g · Fat: 38 g · Saturated Fat: 16 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 16 g · Trans Fat: 0.2 g · Cholesterol: 39 mg · Sodium: 124 mg · Potassium: 327 mg · Fiber: 4 g · Sugar: 24 g · Vitamin A: 492 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 63 mg · Iron: 4 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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Do you mean just the chocolate cookies from Oreos or the entire cookie including the filling?
I use the whole Oreo.
This sounds amazing, will make it for Christmas dinner. Can I use a 10″ spring form pan instead of the tart pan?
Hi Leslie — I haven’t tried this so I’m not exactly sure, but I think it should work. You’ll want to make sure you only press your cookie crust about 1 inch up the sides of the pan, and take extra care when removing the outer ring after the filling sets. If the crust seems to be sticking at all, you can try to run a thin butterknife around the edge of the crust to help release it. Hope this helps!
you can also use a parchment paper collar. Butter the sides of the pan and the paper collar. Once you remove the wall of your pan, simply peel the paper collar from the dessert. I use this method always when making cheesecakes and it makes unmolding much easier. Hope this helps.
Great idea Barbara, thanks!
Thanks Sue.