The Ultimate Double Dark Chocolate Tart: Decadent Recipe for Serious Chocoholics
Prepare to embark on a truly indulgent culinary journey with this magnificent double dark chocolate tart. This isn’t just any chocolate dessert; it’s a masterpiece crafted for those who appreciate the profound depth and sophisticated bitterness of high-quality dark chocolate. Combining a crisp, rich chocolate pâte sucrée dough with a silky, almost pudding-like custard filling, this tart promises an unforgettable experience. It’s an elegant showstopper, perfect for special occasions, holidays, or simply elevating your everyday dessert game.
Crafting the Perfect Chocolate Pâte Sucrée Crust
The foundation of this extraordinary tart is its intensely flavored chocolate pâte sucrée dough. For those unfamiliar, pâte sucrée translates to “sweet pastry dough,” and it’s a French classic renowned for its delicate, cookie-like texture and sweet, buttery flavor. Unlike traditional pie crusts that can be flaky and savory, pâte sucrée creates a sturdy, tender, and slightly crumbly base that perfectly complements rich fillings without becoming soggy.
Our chocolate variation elevates this classic by incorporating cocoa powder, adding another layer of deep chocolate flavor right into the crust. The key ingredients for this delightful dough include softened unsalted butter, fine powdered sugar, a large egg for richness and binding, a pinch of kosher salt to balance the sweetness, high-quality unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder for that intense chocolate hue and taste, and all-purpose flour for structure. Using Dutch-processed cocoa is crucial here; it has a milder, less bitter flavor than natural cocoa and reacts differently with leavening agents, resulting in a deeper color and smoother taste that is ideal for a sweet pastry.
Achieving a Flawless, Non-Soggy Crust
One of the most common pitfalls when making tarts is a soggy bottom. To avoid this and ensure your chocolate crust is cooked through to perfection, we employ a technique called blind baking. This involves partially baking the tart shell before adding the filling. The process begins with chilling the dough – a critical step that prevents shrinkage and helps maintain the tart’s shape during baking. Once rolled out and fitted into the tart pan, the dough is lined with aluminum foil (shiny side up) and filled with pie weights or dried beans. These weights prevent the crust from puffing up and ensure even heat distribution.
Blind baking for 15 to 20 minutes allows the crust to firm up and begin to cook. After removing the weights and foil, the crust is baked for a few more minutes, uncovered, until it looks relatively dry and matte. This extra step guarantees a crisp, fully cooked crust that can proudly support the luscious chocolate filling without succumbing to moisture.
The Velvety Dark Chocolate Filling: A Custard Dream
The true star of this dessert is its incredibly smooth, custard-like dark chocolate filling. The secret to its luxurious texture lies in the careful balance of ingredients and the precise baking temperature. This tart is baked at a remarkably low temperature (250°F/120°C) until the filling is just barely set, resulting in a texture reminiscent of a rich, homemade chocolate pudding. It’s dense yet yielding, melting exquisitely on the tongue.
For the filling, selecting high-quality semi-sweet chocolate with roughly 65% cocoa content is paramount. This percentage offers a perfect balance of sweetness and deep chocolate flavor without being overly bitter. Finely chopping the chocolate ensures it melts evenly when combined with the hot liquid ingredients. Heavy cream and whole milk provide richness and a silky mouthfeel, while a touch of instant espresso powder (such as Medaglia d’Oro) isn’t for coffee flavor, but rather to intensify and deepen the chocolate notes, making them more pronounced and complex. A large egg acts as the binding agent, creating that desired custard consistency, and pure vanilla extract adds a warm, aromatic finish. A tiny bit of melted butter stirred in at the end contributes to the filling’s beautiful sheen and smooth texture.
The process involves gently heating the cream, milk, and espresso powder until just boiling, then pouring this hot mixture over the chopped chocolate. Allowing it to sit briefly before whisking ensures the chocolate is fully melted and emulsified, leading to a perfectly smooth and shiny ganache-like base before the egg, vanilla, and butter are incorporated.
Optional Garnishes: From Whimsical to Elegant Simplicity
While this dark chocolate tart is stunning on its own, a thoughtful garnish can elevate it even further. I once went the extra mile and topped this tart with delicate spun sugar. My previous “experience with spun sugar in culinary school” had led me to vow never to attempt it again, especially not voluntarily in my small rental apartment kitchen!
But for this tart, I felt you deserved the best of the best. The process of making spun sugar is a true test of patience and skill, often resulting in caramelized sugar crusted onto the kitchen floor and a few questionable burns. However, seeing the ethereal, shimmering strands atop the rich, dark chocolate was undeniably worth it. The delicate, crispy texture and the theatrical presentation it offers are unparalleled.
However, you will be thrilled to learn that the spun sugar is completely optional for this dessert! I actually excluded it from the recipe instructions below for this exact reason, as it requires specialized technique and can be quite messy. But if you’re inclined to explore this whimsical art form, you can learn how to spin sugar like a wizard in this dedicated guide. Remember, it is purely a decorative garnish.
For a simpler yet equally wonderful and easy alternative, I highly recommend sprinkling the tart with Maldon (or another high-quality flaky finishing salt, such as Fleur de Sel) just before serving. The delicate crunch and subtle salinity of the sea salt provide a brilliant contrast to the deep, sweet bitterness of the dark chocolate, enhancing its flavor profile beautifully. Other fantastic, easy garnishes could include a dusting of cocoa powder, a swirl of freshly whipped cream, or a scattering of fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries, which add a lovely pop of color and tartness.
Serving Suggestions & Tips for the Best Experience
This Double Dark Chocolate Tart is best served at room temperature or slightly warm, allowing the rich flavors and textures to truly shine. The filling will be perfectly set, offering a luxurious experience with every bite. To achieve this, simply remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes to an hour before serving. For a decadent twist, consider pairing a slice with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of crème fraîche to cut through the richness.
It stores beautifully in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3-4 days, making it an excellent make-ahead dessert for entertaining. This tart is not only a fantastic finale to any meal but also makes for an impressive contribution to potlucks, holiday gatherings, or as a sophisticated treat for a quiet evening at home. Its deep chocolate flavor makes it particularly suited for pairing with a rich red wine, a port, or a strong espresso.
Double Dark Chocolate Tart
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Ingredients
Chocolate Pâte Sucrée Tart Dough:
- 6 oz (170g) unsalted butter softened
- 3½ oz (100g) powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 oz (28g) unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder sifted
- 8½ oz (240g) all-purpose flour
Dark Chocolate Filling:
- ½ cup (120 mL) heavy cream
- ½ cup (120 mL) whole milk
- ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder such as Medaglia d’Oro
- 7 oz (200g) high quality semi-sweet chocolate, roughly 65% cocoa content finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon (5g) butter melted
Garnish:
- homemade spun sugar
Instructions
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Prepare Chocolate Pâte Sucrée Tart Dough: Cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and cream thoroughly.
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Over low speed, add the egg and salt, and continue to mix until just combined, scraping down the bowl as needed with a spatula. Add the cocoa powder and mix until just combined.
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Slowly add the flour until just absorbe. Remove dough and set on a well-floured surface. Push together with hands until all the ingredients are incorporated. Flatten the dough into a disc and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 1½ to 2 hours.
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Blind Bake Crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center position. Lightly butter a 8-inch (20 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom.
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Remove the chilled tart dough from the fridge and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Using a lightly floured rolling pin and starting from the center of dough to the outside, roll the dough into a circle. It should be roughly ¼-inch thick. Throughout the process, pick up the dough carefully and move it continuously to ensure it does not stick to the countertop. Note: If the dough cracks, don’t worry. Gently press back together with your hands and continue to roll.
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Using the rolling pin, gently pick up the dough and lay over the greased tart pan, gently guiding it into the edges of the tart pan, pressing with your fingers. Make sure to press the dough tightly inside the corners and sides to shape the tart shell. If the dough rips slightly, press and seal together with your fingertips (it is relatively forgiving). Trim the overhanging edges of the dough with a sharp knife.
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Line the tart dough with aluminum foil – shiny side facing up – allowing the foil to extend past the sides of the pan by one or two inches. Fill with dried beans or pie crust weights.
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Cover the tart pan tightly with plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, then bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the aluminum foil and baking beans and bake the crust, uncovered, for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, or until the tart dough is completely cooked through and looks relatively dry and matte. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool before adding the filling.
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Prepare Chocolate Filling: Reduce the oven temperature to 250°F (120°C).
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Place the finely chopped semisweet chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and set aside. Place the cream, milk, and espresso powder in a small saucepan, whisk together, and bring just to a boil over medium-high heat.
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Immediately remove from heat and pour the hot cream mixture over the chopped chocolate. Allow to sit for 15 to 20 seconds, then whisk until smooth. Add and whisk in the egg, vanilla extract, and melted butter. The mixture should be shiny and smooth.
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Pour the chocolate filling into blind-baked tart crust and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until small bubbles begin to develop around the edges of the tart. The filling will not be completely set.
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Remove from the oven, place on a rack, and allow tart to set and cool completely before serving. If needed, the tart can be chilled slightly in the fridge.
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Garnish with spun sugar or sprinkle with Maldon salt. Slice into wedges and serve at room temperature or slightly warm.
Tips for Success:
- If you don’t top this tart with spun sugar, I highly recommend finishing it with a sprinkle of Maldon or another flaky finishing salt.