Rich, creamy, decadent chocolate ganache tart, with a crisp, bittersweet chocolate pate sucree base. This gorgeous chocolate tart is perfect for dinner parties, holiday celebrations, and special occasions. And it’s one of my favorite easy chocolate desserts! There are only two components to this dessert,
Making the tart crust
The best crust for this tart is a chocolate pate sucree dough. I’ve shared the detailed recipe and technique for making this simple tart dough in the linked post. It’s a simple dough to make, and results in a crisp, sweet, and buttery tart crust. You can find all the information in that linked post on how to make this crust and tips on shaping and baking the curst. Once the chocolate pate sucree dough is baked and cooled completely, brush the surface of the tart with a layer of melted cocoa butter or melted chocolate. This thin coating prevents the crust from getting soggy, maintaining a deliciously crisp crust even a whole 24 hours after making the tart. However if you want an even easier option for the crust, you can either make or buy a premade cookie crust. Here are some alternative options for the tart crust,
Classic pate sucree crust Oreo cookie crust Graham cracker crust (like I’ve used in this New York cheesecake recipe, or fudgy s’mores brownie pie, or these no bake lemon cheesecake bars)
The chocolate ganache filling
The filling is a simple classic chocolate ganache. That’s also what makes this beautiful chocolate tart so easy. Chop good quality dark chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl. Heat the cream and salt in a small saucepan until simmering (not boiling), and pour it into the chopped chocolate. Let the chocolate sit for about one minute and whisk the mix until the chocolate melts in the cream, and emulsifies into a smooth ganache. While the ganache is warm, add the butter (softened and cut into small pieces) and bourbon, and whisk until smooth. Let the ganache cool down just a little (for a few minutes), and pour it over the crust. Sprinkle the surface with some maldon sea salt while the chocolate ganache tart is not yet set, but also not too warm (because heat could dissolve the salt). Transfer the tart onto a tray or a container, and let it chill in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight. Once the ganache is set, it’s ready to be served.
Tips for making this chocolate ganache tart
I use a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Since the filling is rich and decadent, you don’t want a thick layer of the filling. So this tart pan is the perfect size. You can also use an 8 inch tart pan or tart ring. Make the chocolate pate sucree crust two days before you need it. Then the day before you need the tart, you can bake the crust, and while it’s cooling, you can make the filling. Then let it chill overnight. Use good quality dark chocolate. My go to is Callebaut bittersweet chocolate. You can also use semisweet or milk chocolate. If you only have chocolate chips, then you can use that instead too. But just make sure it’s a chocolate that you like and it tastes good. If you want to keep this alcohol free, replace the bourbon with cream. You could also replace the bourbon with rum, whiskey, brandy, and other liqueurs you like. For convenience, you could make a cookie crust made with Oreo cookies or graham crackers for this tart. Crush the cookies/crackers in a food processor and add just enough butter and press it into the tart pan. Then bake for about 7 – 10 minutes. You could even use a store bought cookie crust. However, you may need to add more chocolate ganache filling to fill the crust, as it’ll be a deeper tart. Serve the tart chilled if you’re living in a very hot area. But at cold or comfortable room temperatures, you can serve the tart at room temperature. The indicated serving sizes are small because it’s a rich tart, and you don’t really need much of it in one sitting. BUT, that’s totally up to your discretion of course, no judgement here! 🙂
Final recipe notes
I love baking tarts because they are always a crowd favorite, and an impressive yet simple dessert to make, no matter the occasion. My piña colada tart (creamy pineapple tart) and strawberry tart are two summer / pot-luck favorites! This chocolate tart is no different. It’s one of my absolute favorite simple desserts. It’s like chocolate truffle served in a crisp, buttery crust. It’s a great way to end a dinner party meal on a high note – paired with a glass of wine, of course. Rich, creamy filling, contrasted with the crisp cookie tart base.
More serving suggestions
If you want to make it even more fancy, you could change up the way you serve it.
Whip some heavy cream / whipping cream with a little bourbon, and serve the whipped cream on the side. OR pile the whipped cream on top so that each slice gets some whipped cream. I prefer to serve it on the side. Decorate the chocolate tart with some gold sheets to make it look even fancier. Or drizzle the surface with salted caramel sauce which will make it even more decadent.
