Love is sweet. Love is salty. Love is this Chocolate Ganache Tart.
If there is one thing that I must have every Valentine’s Day, it’s got to be a chocolate dessert. And when I say chocolate dessert, I mean pure chocolate. No chocolate covered fruit or anything like that– chocolate must be the star! This year, I would have to say that I hit it out of the park with this sinfully rich Chocolate Ganache Tart! This tart is so decadent (thanks to two kinds of chocolate and some whipping cream) that you only need to eat a small slice to get that chocolate fix. This is great since this tart can be shared amongst a large group of people, or enjoyed over the course of a few days by you and your loved one! đŸ˜‰
Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate
There are two basic elements to this Chocolate Ganache Tart. First is the chocolate tart base that gets its chocolate flavour from unsweetened cocoa powder. The second (and arguably the most impressive) is the ganache filling which is simply a combination of chocolate and cream. It sounds simple, but the proportions must be right for the chocolate to set up properly. Using my method, I find that a 2:1 ratio works perfect– that is two parts chocolate, one part heavy/whipping cream. Just for fun, I like to combine dark chocolate and milk chocolate together, but you can use any type of chocolate you prefer!
Chocolate + local sea salt = BFFs
While you can serve this Chocolate Ganache Tart plain, I like to add a little bit of a decoration to add visual interest and flavour!
I add a few rings of melted dark chocolate and then nestle in some soft caramel candies and a few sprinkles of flaked sea salt on top of the tart. In this recipe, I am using locally made Flor de Sal salt made right here on Vancouver Island by SaltWest. I have talked a lot about this local company on the blog and I just can’t get enough of them. I knew with a dessert as chocolaty as this, it would be greatly enhanced by the addition of their salt as salt cuts down on the sweetness of the chocolate quite a bit. Plus that little bit of crunch adds such great texture against the soft caramel and creamy ganache. It’s a match made in heaven!
So if you are as much of a chocolate lover as I am, try out this recipe for my Chocolate Ganache Tart! You should also check out SaltWest if you are a local, and if you’re not you should check them out anyway! They have retailers across Canada and in parts of the USA!
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!
Get the Recipe!
Chocolate Ganache Tart
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Tart Base:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup icing sugar sifted
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 1 cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
For the Ganache:
- 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Decoration:
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons flaked sea salt
- 5 soft caramel candies quartered
Instructions
For the Chocolate Tart Base:
- Begin by making the tart base. In a large bowl, combine the butter and icing sugar and beat until smooth. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and mix to combine. Add the cocoa powder, flour, salt and cornstarch and mix just until the dough comes together.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and shape into a disc. Wrap the disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Once the dough has chilled, roll the dough out on a floured surface into a large circle using a rolling pin, aiming to make the dough 1/2 cm thick. Lift the dough into a 9 inch round tart pan without stretching the dough. Ensure that the tart pan is completely covered even up the sides. Trim the excess dough from the top of the pan then prick the bottom of the tart with a fork to allow the steam to release during cooking.
- Place the tart pan with the dough back into the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up.
- Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the tart in the center of the oven for 18-22 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and set aside to let cool completely.
- Once the tart shell has cooled, remove it from the tart pan and place it on a serving plate. Set aside while we make the ganache.
For the Ganache:
- Place the chocolate chips into a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
- Add the whipping cream to a small sauce pot. Heat the whipping cream in the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scalding. Once the cream is warmed (not boiling) remove it from the heat and pour it into the bowl with the chocolate chips.
- Let the cream sit for a minute to begin melting the chocolate chips. Use a spoon to mix the chocolate and cream together until completely smooth. At the end, add the salt and vanilla and mix to combine.
- Pour the ganache into the tart shell and use a spatula to spread it out evenly. Gently tap the plate with the tart on it against the counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Place the tart in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours to full set before decorating, or serving plain.
- To decorate, melt the remaining chocolate chips over a double boiler until smooth. Use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate on the tart making large overlapping circles. Place the tart in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to allow the chocolate to set before garnishing with caramels and flaked sea salt.
- Serve the tart chilled and enjoy!
