My Dark Chocolate Truffle Tart recipe is easy and elegant ~ a chocolate-lover’s dessert for any occasion, any time of year. It’s decadent and rich, but simple to make, and easily converted to gluten free.
If you’re a chocolate lover, (and who isn’t? ) you know that nothing can top a ganache tart.
This one is pure chocolate decadence, served up with a some textural interest and flaky salt to bring out the flavor. Chocolate is, of course, appropriate year round, but there’s something I especially love about a decadent chocolate dessert in the midst of winter, after the craziness of holiday season has passed. It’s a perfect way to celebrate the new year, or the love of your life on Valentine’s Day.
The chocolate ganache filling is a simple combination of chocolate and cream, but the addition of a few tablespoons of butter doubles down on that famous silky mouthfeel.
Best chocolate for this truffle tart
- I used a combination of bittersweet and semisweet chocolate here (8 ounces bittersweet, 4 ounces semi-sweet)
- A special dessert like this is all about the chocolate, so it’s a good opportunity to splurge on a brand you love. I happen to prefer Ghirardelli or Lindt. You can use regular baking chocolate or good quality chocolate chips if you like.
A dark chocolate cookie crumb crust helps make a seamless chocolate statement
I chose a simple press in cookie crust for this tart. It’s crumbly and crunchy, and provides a really nice textural contrast to the silky, creamy ganache. I’ve used this same crust in my Brown Sugar Bourbon Icebox Pie, and my Easy Cold Brew Icebox Pie. You could of course do a regular pre-baked pastry crust for this recipe, but the crumb crust keeps it casual and do-able.
Maldon salt* makes the perfect garnish ~
Just look at the cool crystal structure on that Maldon salt! If you’re hesitant about pieces of salt that big, the flakes are super delicate and add a really nice balance to the sweetness and richness of the chocolate. If you don’t have Maldon salt, use sea salt or kosher salt.
*Malden salt is fancy English sea salt with a delicate flavor and a large crystal. Look for it with the regular salt in your supermarket.
What to serve with this chocolate truffle tart (not that it needs anything) ~
- Lightly sweetened whipped cream is always a good choice with a rich chocolate dessert ~ I added a little vanilla bean paste to mine, and just enough sugar to barely sweeten it since the tart is so rich already. Try flavoring your whipped cream to bring another dimension to this dessert, like bourbon, Frangelico, or almond extract.
- For a lighter version of whipped cream try my Whipped Yogurt.
- A simple, tart berry sauce also goes great with chocolate and offsets the intensity of the ganache (if you’re into that kind of thing). Most stores carry fresh berries year round, and it’s worth the splurge for a special occasion. I especially love a fresh raspberry sauce with dark chocolate. Use frozen berries if you like.
- A drizzle of caramel sauce would really take it over the top.
This chocolate tart looks elegantly minimal, and tastes drop dead decadent
This dessert has its priorities straight ~ the party happens in your mouth, not on the plate…and that’s as it should be. The crust is tender and crumbly and the filling is voluptuous and fudgey ~ I can guarantee it’s absolutely delicious, and the components go so well together.
Dark Chocolate Truffle Tart
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (I used Nabisco famous wafers, and used about 3/4 of the package)
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
For the ganache
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 12 ounces dark chocolate, roughly chopped (I used 8 ounces bittersweet and 4 ounces semisweet, but feel free to use whatever you like)
- 4 tbsp butter, room temperature, cut into 1 tablespoon-ish pieces.
- 1 tbsp flaky sea salt
For the whipped cream
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 pinch salt
- granulated sugar or powdered sugar, to taste (I used about 1 tsp granulated sugar)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- To make the crust, grind the chocolate wafers in a food processor and measure out 1 1/2 cups. Combine with the melted butter until everything is evenly moistened and the mixture feels like wet sand.
- Press the crust into a 10-inch tart pan with a removeable bottom, and up the sides, making sure it is well packed in and even. Using the bottom of a flat measuring cup helps.
- Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool.
- To make the ganache, heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until it is just starting to simmer. Don't let it get too hot, remove when you see those first tiny bubbles.
- Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, and let sit for a few minutes. (Exactly how long will depend on how big your chocolate pieces are. The smaller the pieces, the more quickly they will melt. You want to err on the side of not letting the cream cool down too much so that the ganache is still warm and will pour smoothly.)
- Whisk together the chocolate and cream until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Add the butter, a couple pieces at a time, whisking well.
- Pour the ganache into the prepared tart shell. Carefully place the tart in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours before slicing. Scatter the sea salt over the top of the tart when it has set so that it doesn't sink in to the chocolate.
- Tip: if you're worried about your knife sticking to the fudgey chocolate filling while slicing, running your knife under hot water and wiping it clean just before slicing will help get a nice clean slice.
- To make the whipped cream, whip the cream, vanilla paste, salt and sugar together until it forms soft peaks.
44 Comments
Jenn
January 19, 2021 at 4:49 amIs this safe to be left on the counter or does it require refrigeration for safe consumption?
Danielle
January 14, 2021 at 12:45 pmHi! Is it possible to free this? Looking to make it in advance for valentine’s. Thanks!
Sue Moran
January 14, 2021 at 1:32 pmI haven’t done that, but ganache is freezable, so I think the tart should do fine.
debi
January 1, 2021 at 8:33 amLooking at the photos of your creation, it seems like there is a dark chocolate layer on top and lighter chocolate underneath. Mine did not come out looking like that. Mine is a consistant color not layered. Is it a photo effect or how do I get that same effect of layers? Delicious dessert for chocolate lovers! happy new year!
Alene
December 31, 2020 at 6:53 pmOh my goodness! For some reason, I’ve never made this! I made it today for our very private pandemic new year’s eve dinner. Absolutely delicious. I made a gluten free tart crust which was perfect. And I had a package of chopped up summer strawberries and raspberries that I had frozen this summer which I turned into a sauce with a little vanilla, a drop of cornstarch and some butter, all reheated to a yummy sauce that was perfect with the dark chocolate tart. It was such an elegant dessert! Too bad it was just for us. Happy New Year dear!
Vivika
December 23, 2020 at 11:57 amHi! This looks so yummy! Gonna make it for Christmas! One question though, do I need to bake the base of the tart? I have made tarts and cheesecakes in the past and the cookie/butter base usually goes to fridge, so I was wondering if I could skip baking.
Thank you!
Sue
December 23, 2020 at 12:13 pmYes, you can skip it. I find a little bit of baking firms the crust up, but you can definitely just refrigerate.
Elizabeth
December 9, 2020 at 5:40 pmGreetings Sue,
I hope all is finding you both safe and well. I am so excited to try your Dark Chocolate Truffle Tart recipe for our little Christmas this year. My fiance loves chocolate, the darker the better, and I really want to make our Christmas Eve special, since we cannot celebrate with our family and friends.
I do have one question regarding the heavy cream needed for the ganache, and the heavy whipping cream used for the whipped cream. Can heavy whipping cream be used for the ganache, or is there a drastic difference between the two? I am able to get either heavy whipping cream or half and half at my local store, but not simply heavy cream. Any and all thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks, and all the best, Sue.
Elizabeth
Sue
December 9, 2020 at 6:00 pmHi Elizabeth ~ heavy whipping cream is perfect, here in the US heavy cream and whipping cream are almost identical and so you can use either. Happy baking 🙂
Elizabeth
December 11, 2020 at 5:23 pmSue, you are the boss, applesauce! I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to reply and answer my question. I truly appreciate it. I am looking forward to a fun day in the kitchen making this treat.
Stay safe, stay well, and stay happy, Sue.
Happiest of holidays to you and yours.
Sue
December 11, 2020 at 6:49 pmRight back at you Elizabeth!
Lindsay
November 25, 2020 at 4:53 pmWhat did I do wrong? After slowly adding the butter, the mixture just wouldn’t come together and the butter melted and became separated from the chocolate mixture. I kept trying to whisk it together but it wouldn’t combine. Now there is an oily layer on top of the tart, which kind of resembles lumpy pudding. I know this is user error but not sure where I went wrong! Any tips would be appreciated.
Sue
November 25, 2020 at 6:26 pmHey Lindsay, it sounds like maybe you ganache was quite warm when you added the butter. It should be warm but not hot when you add the butter. Sorry you had this happen!
Emily
November 17, 2020 at 7:55 amI’m wondering if oat milk could be substituted for the heavy cream?
Sue
November 17, 2020 at 8:09 amI know you can make ganache with coconut milk, but that’s a lot ‘creamier’ than oat milk, so I’m not sure, Emily. Some people make ganache with regular milk but add butter to it to make it work. It might be worth experimenting with.
Emily
November 22, 2020 at 11:31 pmThank you so much! I shall experiment!
Shilpa
November 2, 2020 at 10:31 pmSuch a wonderful detailed recipe! Thankyou for sharing. I made mine gluten free by using ground almonds and almond flour with some honey. Plenty of texture!
Brittany
September 21, 2020 at 4:48 pmI tried your recipe….not sure what I did wrong but my ganache came out like a pudding consistency after chilling for more than 2 hours. Any suggestion of what I did wrong!
Sue
September 21, 2020 at 6:55 pmIt sounds like the issue was the ratio of chocolate to cream, if you have too little chocolate or too much cream, it won’t set.
Summer Pennington
September 8, 2020 at 12:57 pmThis was my first time making any kind of tart and it is darn addicting to eat!! I couldn’t find any chocolate wafers at my local grocery store. So I used Dewey’s Bakery Moravian Style Brownie Crisps for the crust. It turned out great! My family loved it and I can’t wait to make it again for the holidays.
Sue
September 8, 2020 at 2:44 pmSo glad this was a hit for you Summer, I think it’s perfect for the holidays.
Mizteeque
September 1, 2020 at 7:11 amThis looks amazing and just what I have been craving for days. Going to make this for dessert tonight.
I actually live just 6 miles from Maldon and always have a box or two of salt in the cupboard. Its really nice to come across recipes that use our local Salt. xx
Sue
September 1, 2020 at 10:08 amOh wow are you lucky! Hope you enjoy the tart 🙂
Gloria
August 30, 2020 at 8:42 amJust to say Maldon salt is English salt and a fantastic addition to this lovely tart!!…..
Sue
August 30, 2020 at 8:45 amI stand corrected, thanks Gloria!
Coreen
August 28, 2020 at 8:38 amHi sue! I have (12) 3×3/4 mini tart pans. Do you think this recipe could be converted to use them?
Sue
August 28, 2020 at 9:05 amYou could certainly do that, I’m not sure how many of them this recipe would make, but they should be easy to assemble.
Coreen
September 6, 2020 at 2:53 pmI made this using the small tart pans, it made 8 and oh my goodness!!!! So amazing! We made a huckleberry sauce to drizzle on top.
Sue
September 6, 2020 at 3:19 pmWhaaat? Now I’ll be thinking about this all day 🙂
Emily Snyder
July 3, 2020 at 11:13 amDo I need to refrigerate right up until we eat it? We are going to a dinner party and bringing this- it’s so stunning I hate to hide it in the fridge while we eat! Will it be ok for a few hours at room temp? It has been setting in fridge all day.
Sue
July 3, 2020 at 12:06 pmIt should be fine as long as it’s not too hot in the house.
Valerie
April 12, 2020 at 8:58 amLove this, added chopped walnuts too ! Can I freeze some of this
Sue
April 12, 2020 at 9:06 amYes, it should freeze nicely.
Daniela O
February 13, 2020 at 11:55 amHello! the recipe does not say when I should use whipping cream, vanilla, salt and sugar, I am confused, but I really want to do it! Thank you!
Sue
February 13, 2020 at 12:08 pmI just clarified that Daniela, that’s for the whipped cream, and you just have tp whip them to soft peaks, then use as a topping for the tart, if you like.
Tammy
February 9, 2020 at 10:04 amHi Sue !
I absolutely love all your recipes, wish I could cook all day, LoL
My question is, can I use a glass tart plate without the removable bottom ?
Thank you ?
Sue
February 9, 2020 at 10:39 amYes, you’ll just serve it right in the pan.
Diann
January 1, 2020 at 12:44 pmI love this easy and delicious recipe! I made a few and even gave out as gifts. I used several different gluten free cookies and they are were great! Thanks for the option of gluten free. Your recipes are terrific!
Lydia Bartlett
December 27, 2019 at 5:19 pmThe dark chocolate truffle tart looks beautiful! Your recipe looks easy enough for me to try it, I can’t wait! Many thanks Sue!!!
Sue
December 27, 2019 at 5:33 pmThis is one of the easier recipes Lydia, good luck!
Lane
December 27, 2019 at 8:22 amIn the pictures, it appears that the tart has a dark-colored chocolate top layer over the ganache filling. Am I seeing things?
Sue
December 27, 2019 at 8:25 amNo, it just sets up that way, naturally!
Darlene
December 27, 2019 at 8:05 amThis looks amazing! Your recipes keep getting better and better! Thanks for creating such an excellent blog! You should be on Food Network!
Sue
December 27, 2019 at 8:25 amHaha, thanks Darlene!!