Silky smooth dark chocolate ganache nestled into a tender tart crust, then topped with fresh strawberries. This chocolate dessert recipe makes a beautiful dessert for Valentine’s Day!
½cup(8 tablespoons) very cold unsalted buttercut into small pieces
1large egg yolkbeaten
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE FILLING:
8ouncesdark chocolatefinely chopped
1.25cups(10 oz.) heavy cream
¼cup(2 oz.) unsalted butterat room temperature, cut in half
FOR THE TOP:
2cupswhipped cream
2cupsmedium-sized strawberriesor fresh berries of your choice
Instructions
MAKE THE TART CRUST:
Place flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and ginger into a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut in the butter until it is well incorporated. If you have a food processor, you can use it to combine the dough, if desired.
Add the egg yolk and use a fork or your food processor to combine the mixture together. The mixture will look shaggy and crumbly but should be slightly moist, holding together when pressed. If mixture will not hold together, add 1 teaspoon of cool water and try again.
Transfer the tart dough into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Use your fingers to press the crust into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
Chill the pan of crust in a freezer for an hour. This will keep the tart crust from puffing up during baking.
While the tart shell is chilling, make the dark chocolate ganache filling.
MAKE CHOCOLATE GANACHE FILLING:
Add chocolate pieces to a heatproof medium bowl; set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring heavy cream to a very low simmer, until it's steaming, and tiny bubbles form around the edge.
Pour half of the heated cream over the chocolate pieces and let it rest for about 1 minute. The chocolate will be starting to melt. Use a whisk and start to incorporate the melted chocolate into the cream. Slowly begin to add the remaining cream and whisk until the chocolate mixture is smooth and glossy. Add the butter and use a spatula to stir until the butter is melted. The mixture should be dark and glossy. Set aside at room temperature while you bake the crust.
BAKE TART CRUST
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove pan of crust from freezer. Butter a piece of aluminum foil and place the butter side down on top of the chilled tart shell. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the buttered foil and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until the tart shell has turned golden brown.
Allow shell to cool completely (about an hour) before removing from pan.
Transfer crust to a cake stand or serving platter. Fill with chocolate ganache and garnish.
FILL AND GARNISH:
Gently rinse strawberries with cool water and pat dry with paper towels. If desired, keep several berries whole for visual presentation; remaining berries should be hulled and sliced in half lengthwise
Pour the filling into the crust and spread the chocolate ganache inside of the cooled tart shell. Top with fresh berries and whipped cream as desired.
The tart is best served on the day it is made. Leftovers should be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated.
Notes
This dark chocolate ganache tart is best served on the day it is made. Leftovers should be wrapped in plastic wrap and kept refrigerated.
Tart Recipe Variations
Instead of dark chocolate ganache, make the tart using milk chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or even chocolate ganache without cream.
Top your chocolate tart with fresh berries of your choice. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, or mixed berries.