This deceptively simple chocolate tart features a pastry that requires zero dough-making. It is an elegant dessert, that is rich and decadent, looks beautiful whilst being pretty easy to make, with few ingredients. It’s just a simple ready-made short crust pastry, with a dark chocolate ganache filling. A fancy dessert that’s not complicated, and basically flop-proof.
300g ready-made shortcrust pastry, defrosted
600g 70% dark chocolate, chopped finely
400ml cream
80ml butter, cubed
Pomegranate arils
Chocolate shavings
Vanilla ice cream
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Prepare a 500ml capacity tart tin by spraying with a non-stick cooking spray.
Line the tart tin with the short crust pastry.
Prick the bottom with a fork. Place baking paper over the pastry and fill with blind baking beans or rice.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the base of the tart is cooked, take care not to burn the edges.
Remove from oven and take out the baking paper with beans/rice and allow to cool completely while you make the dark chocolate ganache.
To make the dark chocolate ganache; heat the cream over medium heat in a small saucepan to just below boiling point.
Place the chocolate in a medium mixing bowl and slowly pour the hot cream over the chocolate, stirring with a wooden spoon. Make sure all the chocolate pieces are melted.
While stirring, add cubed butter and allow to melt into the ganache.
Pour the ganache into the short crust case and allow to set for 1 to 2 hours. Serve with pomegranate arils, chocolate shavings and vanilla ice cream.
If you don’t have short-crust pastry, can’t get hold of it, or would prefer a different base, then you can make a simple cookie crust. Try this coconut crust, this Tennis biscuit & pecan crust, or a ginger biscuit & cashew nut crust.
You could make this chocolate ganache tart a vegan tart but it takes a few substitutes. Firstly, you need to make sure the dark chocolate is vegan-friendly (most 70%+ Lindt Chocolates are, Nestle Midnight Velvet, and Dark Chocolate Aero). Substitute the cream for coconut cream and the butter for coconut butter or vegan margarine. Ensure that the base contains no butter or dairy, this means that you might have to make your own base, we recommend a nut crust.
