Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart
Our impressive Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart is definitely for chocolate lovers, and is surprisingly easy to make! Made with 72% dark chocolate and a walnut and speculoos (Biscoff) cookie crust, this decadent dessert is so deliciously rich and creamy that one tart can easily serve between 12 to 16 guests. This elegant make ahead dessert is perfect for entertaining!
To complement the flavor and texture of this delectable dessert, serve with some homemade vanilla whipped cream! For a slightly different flavor profile, try garnishing with any of the following: chocolate shavings, sea salt flakes, traditional caramel sauce, our Bourbon Caramel Sauce, fresh raspberries, or our Raspberry Coulis. Learn how to Pimp Our Recipe in our Blog Comments & Tips below.
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RECIPE
(Check out our Step by Step Instructions below the recipe card.)
Recipe updated as of 3/27/22
Step by Step Instructions
Crust
CRUST PREPARATION
Organize all your tools and ingredients before you begin. Getting all your ingredients in one place at the beginning will shorten your prep time.
STEP 1
Place the rack in the center of the oven, and preheat oven to 350°F.
Spray a 9 ½ inch tart pan with removable bottom with cooking spray, line the bottom with parchment paper, and set aside.
STEP 2
Place 8.8 ounces Lotus Biscoff cookies (1 package speculoos cookies), and ¼ cup walnuts (or blanched hazelnuts) in a large food processor, and pulse into small crumbs. Add ¼ teaspoon fine salt, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and pulse to combine until it becomes fine crumbs.
STEP 3
Place 6 tablespoons unsalted butter into a medium heat resistant glass mixing bowl and melt in the microwave. Add cookie crumbs, and using a silicone spatula, stir and press the mixture to combine.
Note: It’s easiest to alternate between folding and stirring until all crumbs are evenly coated, and the crumb mixture looks like wet sand.
STEP 4
Dump coated crumb mixture into the bottom of the greased tart pan. Using the bottom of a metal measuring cup (or a flat bottom glass), press crumbs firmly and evenly into the bottom and sides of the pan (all the way up to the top of the pan). Bake for 10-12 minutes until the crust is fragrant and golden in color. Set on a wire rack to cool completely.
Ganache Filling
GANACHE FILLING PREPARATION
Organize all your tools and ingredients before you begin.
Note: Leave enough time to make sure your butter is at room temperature before you add it to the chocolate mixture in Step 4a below, or your chocolate will seize up.
STEP 1
Cut 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter into cubes, place in a small bowl, and set aside to get to room temperature. Chop 12 ounces chopped dark chocolate (72% cacao, or bittersweet chocolate - see Note below), place in a large heat proof mixing bowl, and set aside.
Note: It’s best to use chocolate that is between 70% to 72% cacao, otherwise the ratio between chocolate and cream will be off and the ganache will not set. We used the Trader Joe's Pound Plus bar of Belgian Dark Chocolate (72% cacao). If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you, we recommend using either Valrhona Dark Chocolate (72% cacao), Callebaut Belgian Dark Chocolate Callets (70.5%), or Guittard Dark Couverture Chocolate Wafers (72%).
STEP 2
Add 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream to a small nonstick saucepan (2.5 quart). Place the pan on medium heat, and stir the bottom and sides frequently. Bring cream to a scald (just barely starts to bubble around edges), and remove from heat.
STEP 3
Immediately pour hot cream over the chopped chocolate, and let sit for 5 minutes undisturbed (do NOT stir).
STEP 4a
As soon as the chocolate has melted, whisk together ¼ teaspoon espresso powder (not instant espresso granules), and ⅛ teaspoon fine salt. Sprinkle evenly over chocolate/cream mixture, and add 5 tablespoons cubed unsalted butter (room temperature).
STEP 4b
Mix slowly with a silicone spatula, stirring and scraping bowl until fully combined. Quickly move to the next step.
STEP 5
Place tart pan on a baking sheet (a size that will fit into your refrigerator), plate, or on the base of a cake storage container. As soon as the chocolate mixture is fully combined, pour warm ganache into the prepared tart pan, and smooth out the top with your silicone spatula or an offset spatula. Let cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered (or carefully transfer to a cake storage container) for at least 2 hours.
Note: Our baking sheet wasn’t clean for the photo shoot, so we used a pizza pan instead!
STEP 6
When ready to serve, carefully remove tart from pan (see Note below), and transfer to a serving dish. Lightly sprinkle chocolate with 1 teaspoon Maldon Sea Salt Flakes (optional), and/or chocolate shavings. Let rest at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes before serving.
Note: Using a wide can makes it easier to remove the tart from the pan (makes it more stable).
STEP 6b
Using a hot sharp knife (see Note below), slice the tart into 12 to 16 pieces.
Note: Add very hot water to a tall mason jar. Dip a sharp knife into hot water, and wipe clean with a paper towel in between slices.
SERVING
Serve with any of the following:
Homemade Vanilla Whipped Cream
Chocolate Shavings
Sea Salt Flakes
Traditional Caramel Sauce
Our Raspberry Coulis and Fresh Raspberries
Notes:
For clean servings, dip a sharp knife into hot water, and wipe clean before each slice.
Recipe can be made ahead!
Serves 16 (or 12 larger servings). This tart is very rich, and a few bites of this decadent dessert typically satisfies the sweet tooth.
VIDEO
How to Make a Decadent Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart!
Blog Comments & Tips
Deliciously Rich & Creamy Dessert!
Decadent and chocolatey, this elegant dessert will satisfy even the most particular chocoholics!
Instead of the typical crust for our ganache tart, we decided to mix it up a bit by creating a unique nut and cookie crust. We combined walnuts with speculoos cookies (i.e., Biscoff cookies) and quickly blitzed them into a fine crumb in our food processor. If you have ever flown Delta Airlines or American Airlines, you are probably familiar with those fabulous spiced cookies they serve called Biscoff. You can find Biscoff at most major grocery stores now. These cookies bring so much flavor into the crust, along with a delicate crispy texture, making the combination unbeatable.
The key to this dessert are the high quality ingredients used in the ganache.
We combined a high quality Organic Heavy Whipping Cream made by Strauss Family Creamery, with dark Belgian Chocolate (72% cacao) to produce a deliciously smooth texture and flavor. Trader Joe’s offers a great quality “Pound Plus” bar of 72% Belgian chocolate. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you, we recommend using any of brands of chocolates mentioned in our Tips Section below.
Here is what NOT to do:
Do NOT use chocolate chips for this recipe, as many of them use stabilizers, which will affect the purity and texture of your ganache.
Do NOT use chocolate that is less than 70% cacao, or more than 72% cacao. Otherwise your ganache will be too liquidy and will not set, or it will be too chalky and thick (like you are biting into a hard piece of chocolate).
Trust me on this, as I have made a few of these ganache tarts in the past and experienced a few epic fails in the process. A recent failed attempt at this tart happened because I was trying to get fancy. Instead of using walnuts, I used roasted hazelnuts and they completely overpowered the flavor of the ganache tart. Blanched hazelnuts would have been a better option, but I still strongly recommend the combination of walnuts and Biscoff cookies for this crust. It really tastes lovely with the ganache.
Now you have the recipe, ingredients, and equipment, but how do you ensure the best results from our recipe?
Our 4 tips to making a great Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart:
Use high quality organic heavy whipping cream Strauss Family Creamery, along with a great quality dark Belgian Chocolate (72% cacao). Trader Joe’s offers a great quality “Pound Plus” bar of 72% Belgian chocolate. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you, we recommend using any of these wonderful alternatives; Valrhona Dark Chocolate (72% cacao), Callebaut Belgian Dark Chocolate Callets (70.5%), or Guittard Dark Couverture Chocolate Wafers (72%).
Don’t skip the addition of espresso powder. It does not make it taste like coffee, it simply intensifies the chocolate flavor.
Use Lotus Biscoff cookies for this recipe, as they have the right texture and moisture content for this crust.
Don’t overheat your cream, as it will burn the chocolate. Stirring constantly, bring the cream to a scald (you will know when the cream starts thickening and tiny bubbles are starting to form - some foam around the sides of the pan).
Have any dietary preferences that won’t quite work with our recipe? It’s time to customize and Pimp Our Recipe.
Pimp Our Recipe:
Make it Boozy: Drizzle on our Bourbon Caramel Sauce. Or add 1 tablespoon of your favorite Bourbon Whisky when you add the butter to the ganache (in Step 4a).
Mix Up the Flavors with Garnishes: Serve with any of the following garnishes: Homemade Vanilla Whipped Cream, Chocolate Shavings, Sea Salt Flakes, Traditional Caramel Sauce, our Bourbon Caramel Sauce, or our Raspberry Coulis and Fresh Raspberries.
Don’t Like Walnuts? Replace the walnuts in the crust with the same quantities of pecans!
Enjoy and let us know what you think by commenting below, rating our recipes, subscribing, following, and liking us on Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Happy Cooking!
Mich
Footnote: Remember to only bring your cream to a scald. Do NOT overheat it, otherwise it will burn your chocolate.
Adapted from the Chocolate Ganache Tart recipe by Bon Appetit, we made a few small changes to the ganache, and added our own unique recipe for our Biscoff cookie and nut crust.
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