Chocolate Ganache Tart {No Bake + GF Variations}
Out of all of my dessert recipes, my Chocolate Ganache Tart is my favorite. It’s a decadent, show stopping dessert that all your friends and family will adore. And it can be a gluten-free and no bake tart if you wish. A chocolate tart shell is filled with rich chocolate ganache and topped with optional add-ons. This chocolate tart is best served for special occasions like Valentine’s Day, birthdays, or holidays. If you’re a chocolate lover, then this is the dessert for you!
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This chocolate tart recipe is a great way to satisfy any chocolate craving. Don’t feel like preheating an oven? Make it a no bake tart instead! Impress your celiac friend with the gluten-free variation that is just as delicious.
It’s rich and chocolatey and wonderfully decadent. A small piece goes a long way with a cup of hot coffee or my popular hot spiced custard milk.
If you love chocolate, check out my peanut butter chocolate buckeye cupcakes recipe, and milk chocolate fudge cookies too.
Ingredients
You can find the simple ingredients for this recipe at your local grocery store. Here is what you’ll need to make this dessert.
Chocolate Crust
- Chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies \ you can easily use any cookie you want, gluten-free or not, and if using a cookie crust this can easily be a no-bake chocolate tart recipe if you wish.
- Unsalted butter | melted, and can be brown butter too.
Ganache Filling
- Dark chocolate | chocolate quality matters here as ganache is a simple preparation with few ingredients, choose something you would enjoy eating on its own.
- Milk chocolate | entirely optional.
- Heavy cream \ you can use raw cream too.
- Unsalted butter | butter is not strictly required for ganache, but it adds even more richness and creaminess to this decadent dessert and makes the chocolate really shine.
Optional Garnish Options
- Shaved chocolate
- Broken cookies
- Sliced almonds
- Chocolate covered almonds
- Ferrero Rocher
- Dried edible flowers
The no bake tart variation uses the exact same ingredients as the baked variation.
(I have several incredible crust variations for you below as well, including one made entirely out of crushed nuts.)
Equipment
For this recipe, there are a few things to make it as easy as possible.
You’ll need a food processor to combine the ingredients for the crust. You’ll also need mixing bowls, stirring spoons, a whisk, and a small saucepan.
Instructions
Here are the steps to make this chocolate ganache tart, including the no bake tart variation.
Place the cookies in a food processor.
Pulse the cookies into fine crumbs.
Pour the crumbs into a medium bowl.
Add the melted butter.
Mix with a spatula until fully combined.
Pour the mixture into a 9-inch removable bottom tart ring pan.
Place the tart pan into the oven. Bake the crust for 8 minutes.
For the no bake tart variation, place pan into refrigerator instead for 2-hours or more. Crust will be softer than if it were baked.
Place the dark and milk chocolate into a large bowl. Over medium heat stir the heavy cream and butter in a small saucepan until tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan.
Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate chips and let stand for two minutes.
Gently mix with a spatula until smooth and silky.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the crust and smooth it with a spatula.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until fully set for the best results.
Hint: This can be made with almost any gluten-free cookies or non-gluten-free cookies. Use your favorite cookie, or see my other tart crust variations below.
Substitutions & Variations
There are so many delicious options and variations you can try with this no-bake dessert. Here are some options to get you started.
Toppings
There are so many options for topping this decadent chocolate ganache.
Try using fresh strawberries, caramel sauce, cocoa powder, chopped chocolate chunks, crumbled graham crackers, or sea salt flakes.
If you use fresh berries make sure they are dry and have been out of the fridge for at least one hour and placed on a paper towel to soak up any moisture.
Crust Variations
You can easily make changes to the chocolate tart crust with one of these delicious options. The recipe as written (using cookies) can make a no bake tart, or you can bake the cookie crust for a firmer and crisper texture.
Try one of these other delicious variations.
Hazelnut and Walnut Crust
Mix seven tablespoons of unsalted, softened butter with five tablespoons of dark brown packed sugar and two and a half cups of crushed hazelnuts that have had their skins removed. Add a pinch of salt. A food processor is best for this and using freshly ground nuts is amazing. With a firm hand, evenly press this mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake crust until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let the crust cool completely before pouring in the ganache to set.
You can also use browned butter (melted and warm is fine) instead of plain, but add a tablespoon of water or maple syrup to the mixture too.
Mixed Nuts & Dried Fruit Crust
Another option is mixed nuts and dried fruit. Follow the same instructions above and mix in your choice of nuts and fruit.
Meringue Nut Crust
Beat two egg whites into stiff peaks on high. Add one cup of dark brown packed sugar, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, or coffee extract, and keep beating on low until incorporated. Fold in one and a half cups of ground nuts. Spread the mixture (it will be very sticky!) into the pan and up the sides and bake for 10-15 minutes. Allow it to cool completely before adding ganache.
Chocolate Filling Substitutions
This easy dessert is delicious with any type of dark chocolate you prefer.
Make sure to use the best quality chocolate for your ganache — something you would eat on its own. Ganache is a simple two-ingredient combination so the quality of the chocolate is the most important.
I prefer to use a chocolate that is 70%.
You see me using chocolate chips in the photos but I do not recommend that unless it is all you have.
Can you make a white chocolate ganache filling?
If you’d prefer to use white chocolate, you can absolutely do so!
To make white chocolate ganache, combine white chocolate and warm heavy whipping cream and stir them together just the same. Once the mixture has cooled, stir it until it’s creamy, and pour it into the crust to set.
Storage
This dessert will keep refrigerated for 4 days.
You can freeze the tart for 3 months, allow it to defrost in the refrigerator first.
FAQ
Yes, this is a great dessert to make ahead of time. You can freeze the whole tart wrapped in plastic wrap for up to four months.
Once the tart has been assembled, it can last in the refrigerator for up to four days.
If the ganache isn’t quite as thick as you’d like it to be, you can whisk together a teaspoon of cornstarch with water and then whisk that mixture into the chocolate filling.
You can make ganache with whole milk, instead of cream. If you use milk with lower fat, the ganache won’t thicken very well.
If your ganache didn’t set, it’s most likely because it didn’t have enough time to cool in the refrigerator. You’ll want to leave it in there for at least four hours.
Top Tip
You can serve this dark chocolate ganache tart cold or at room temperature.
Equipment
- 1 9-inch tart shell
Ingredients
Chocolate Crust
- 24 chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies or your favorite cookie
- 7 tablespoons butter unsalted
Ganache Filling
- 1 cup chocolate good quality chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup milk chocolate good quality, chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ stick butter unsalted & cubed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit
- In a food processor pulse the chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies until ground finely into crumbs.
- Pour the crumbs into a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and mix with a spatula until fully combined.
- Pour the mixture into a 9-inch removable bottom tart pan.
- Press the mixture onto the sides and bottom of the tart pan with clean hands and a spatula.
- For no bake tart: refrigerate for at least 2 hours before proceeding.
- For baked crust: Place the tart pan into the oven. Bake the crust for 8 minutes.
- Immediately remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
- Place the chopped dark and milk chocolate into a medium heat-proof bowl and set aside.
- Over medium heat stir the heavy cream and butter until tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Immediately remove from the heat. Do not allow the mixture to simmer or boil. Pour the mixture over the chocolate chips.
- Let stand for 2 minutes.
- Gently mix with a spatula until smooth and silky.
- Pour the ganache over the crust and smooth with a spatula.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until fully set.
- Remove the tart from the removable sides and place it on a serving dish before cutting.
- Garnish with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- This can be made with gluten-free cookies or non-gluten-free cookies.
- The tart can be kept covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- The tart can be frozen for up to 4 months.
- If you use fresh berries make sure they are dry and have been out of the fridge for at least 1 hour and placed on a paper towel to soak up any moisture.
- If the tart won’t release from the sides of the tart pan one can quickly go around the sides of the tart pan with a blowtorch.
- Use a blow torch 3-4 inches away from the top of the tart to remove the bubbles and to make for a shiny glossy finish before serving.
Mix seven tablespoons of unsalted, softened butter with five tablespoons of dark brown packed sugar and two and a half cups of crushed hazelnuts that have had their skins removed. Add a pinch of salt. A food processor is best for this and using freshly ground nuts is amazing. With a firm hand, evenly press this mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake crust until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let the crust cool completely before pouring in the ganache to set. You can also use browned butter (melted and warm is fine) instead of plain, but add a tablespoon of water or maple syrup to the mixture too. Mixed Nuts & Dried Fruit Crust
Another option is mixed nuts and dried fruit. Follow the same instructions above and mix in your choice of nuts and fruit. Meringue Nut Crust
Beat two egg whites into stiff peaks on high. Add one cup of dark brown packed sugar, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, or coffee extract, and keep beating on low until incorporated. Fold in one and a half cups of ground nuts. Spread the mixture (it will be very sticky!) into the pan and up the sides and bake for 10-15 minutes. Allow it to cool completely before adding ganache.
