Dark Chocolate Truffle Tart

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 French 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.

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4.03 from 39 votes

Dark Chocolate Truffle Tart

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.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

chilling 2 hours

Yield 12 servings

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.
• 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.

Notes

For a gluten free version of this tart, use your favorite gluten free cookie to make the crust.

For a dairy free version, use coconut cream in place of dairy cream, and coconut oil in place of butter.  The flavor will of course be very coco-nutty in that case.