Last updated on October 11th, 2013
I MADE TWO CHOCOLATE GANACHE TARTS LAST NIGHT. The first one, based on a recipe from a well-known cooking-personality, was surprisingly disappointing. The short-bread crust was as tough as plywood, and the chocolate filling was as dull as dust. The next tart, based on…well, my own instincts, used a pate brisee crust, and a ganache filling enriched with orange liqueur. Can you guess which version I’m going to share with you?
Chocolate Ganache Tart
Ingredients for one 9-inch diameter tart (approximately 10 servings)
For the Pate Brisee Crust:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, scooped and leveled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
8 Tablespoons (one stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup ice water
For the Ganache:
12 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 Tablespoon sugar (or up to 6 Tablespoons, if you like a sweeter Ganache)
1 teaspoon Cointreau
Warning! This recipe looks long, but really it is not. Most of the instructions deal with the making and the blind-baking of Pate Brisee (French pastry dough). If you already have a pre-baked Pate Brisee crust in your freezer, just scroll down to the easy ganache directions. Otherwise, proceed as follows:
To start, pour the flour into the bowl of your food processor.
The sugar…
And then spin them for 2 seconds to combine.
Ah, this is why I love a food processor. It accomplishes all chopping, slicing, and pureeing tasks in seconds…not minutes.
Now dice-up the butter, and add it to the flour mixture.
And by the way, make sure your butter is cold. If it isn’t, pop it in the freezer for 5 minutes. The texture of the dough depends upon the firmness of the butter.
And that’s a fact, Jack.
Pulse the machine 5 times, just to break up the butter. When you remove the cover from the machine, bits of butter should be easily visible, as pictured above.
Turn the machine on, quickly pour water through the feed-tube, and then turn the machine off. I’m rushing you here, because it’s important not to over-process the butter.
Now check your work. If the dough holds together when pressed gently pressed, consider your pate brisee-making-mission a whopping success. Otherwise, if the dough is too dry to hold together, just pulse in 1 or 2 additional tablespoons of ice water.
Dump the dough onto your work station (a marble board is helpful here), and roughly form it into a disk.
I have no idea why my dough looks orange in the photograph above. But then I live in a very old house. A very old house with ghosts, who like to fool with my camera.
Wrap the disk in plastic wrap, and then stick it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, in order to firm up the butter.
While the dough is chilling, let me show you my trick for rolling out crusts to specific dimensions. I use a plastic sheet that’s marked with circles of varying diameters. Nifty, huh?
Lightly flour the top and bottom of the dough, and then roll it out to 12 inches in diameter.
And here’s a tip: When you roll out dough, always start at the center, and then roll only to within one inch of the edge. This will keep the edge of the crust from becoming too thin.
And then fold one half over the other, as pictured. This will produce a triangular shape.
Set the point of the triangle in the center of your removable-bottom tart pan.
You might be wondering if I greased the tart pan. No, I did not. Pate brisee contains so much butter that the dough won’t stick to anything.
Well, except your thighs. But only if you eat the entire crust yourself.
And then press, with your thumb, the overlapping edge of the dough against the side of the tart pan.
Your finished crust will look something like this.
Here’s a close-up view. After the crust bakes, it will display the same nifty ridges as the tart pan.
In other words, it will be a stylish crust.
I can’t believe I forgot to photograph this next, very important step: Pierce the bottom (not the sides) of the crust all over with the tines of a fork.
Now cover the dough with a big sheet of aluminum foil. Press the foil gently into the contours of the shell, as pictured above.
Now fill the shell with two pounds — that’s two 16-oz bags — of dried beans. You want the beans to reach all the way to the top of the pan.
Place the foil-covered, bean-filled shell in the freezer for 10 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, set the oven rack in the center position. Preheat the oven to 425F.
Set the covered tart pan on a baking sheet, and bake the crust in the center of the preheated oven until its sides are set — 15 to 20 minutes. Then remove foil, and continue baking until the crust feels fairly firm to the touch — 8 to 10 minutes.
Then set the tart pan — still on its baking sheet — on a wire rack. Let it cool completely — about 1 hour. Or, do what I did today, and just set the crust outside. It’s currently 17 degrees here (that’s -8.3 degrees Celsius) and you can bet the crust cooled completely in all of 10 minutes.
To make the filling, take 12 oz (that’s two 6oz boxes) of bittersweet chocolate…
And, using a sharp, heavy knife, coarsely chop the chocolate. Dump the chopped chocolate into a big mixing bowl.
Set a wire-mesh sieve over the mixing bowl. You’ll understand why in a moment.
Pour 1 1/4 cups of heavy cream into a small saucepan.
Add one tablespoon of sugar (or, if you prefer a sweeter ganache, you can add up to 6 tablespoons of sugar)
Stir the cream and sugar with a bright red spatula just to mix.
Then bring the cream to a boil over a medium flame.
Immediately pour the boiling cream through the sieve, and into the chocolate bits. The sieve will catch any milk-solids (these can interfer with the smooth texture of ganache) that formed during the boiling-step.
Using a wire whisk, rapidly stir the hot cream and chocolate together.
At first it will seem that nothing is happening. But just keep stirring…
And in a matter seconds, the cream and chocolate will turn into a shimmering, dark lava.
At this point, trade the wire whisk for your red spatula…
And use that spatula to stir in a splash of Cointreau. Cointreau is an orange-flavored liqueur that does wonders for chocolate. It also does wonders for my favorite summertime cocktail, not to mention these wintertime cookies.
Now pour the ganache into the center of the pate brisee shell…
And spread it out to the edge of the shell. An off-set spatula will be invaluable here.
Let the tart cool for 2 hours at room temperature, or for one hour in the refrigerator. The ganache will become quite firm.
Lick the off-set spatula, too.
When the ganache is completely set (it will feel firm to the touch), unmold the tart. To do this, set the tart pan atop a yellow bowl…
And let the tart-ring drop. If the ring doesn’t drop on its own, gently loosen it, and then push it down.
Set the tart on a serving platter (I used a cake-stand) and immediately cut yourself a nice, big slice.
Well, there are no words to describe the deliciousness of this Chocolate Ganache Tart.
Promise me you’ll make it some day.
Need a copy-and-paste version of the above recipe? Here goes:
Chocolate Ganache Tart
Kevin Lee Jacobs, A Garden for the House
Ingredients for one 9-inch tart (approximately 10 servings)For the Pate Brisee Crust:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, scooped and leveled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
8 Tablespoons (one stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into a 1/2-inch dice
1/4 cup ice waterFor the Ganache:
12 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 Tablespoon sugar (or up to 6 tablespoons sugar if you like a sweet Ganache)
1 teaspoon Cointreau, or another orange-flavored liqueurSpecial equipment – A food processor outfitted with the metal blade; a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom; a baking sheet to hold the tart pan; a large mixing bowl; a wire-mesh sieve; a small saucepan.
Making the pate brisee dough – Pour the flour, salt and sugar into the bowl of the food processor; process for 2 seconds just to combine. Add the diced butter (it must be cold!), and pulse 5 times just to break the butter up. Then, with the processor running, pour the water through the feed-tube, and then immediately turn the machine off. Take off the cover and check the dough. If it just holds together when pressed between fingers, the dough is ready. If the dough is too dry to hold together, pulse in another tablespoon or two of ice water.
Refrigerating the dough – 30 minutes. Dump the dough onto your work surface, and roughly form it into a disk. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
(If you are not going to use the dough right away, you can freeze it for up to one year.)Forming the crust – Set the tart pan on the baking sheet. Roll the dough into a 12-inch diameter circle. Fold the dough in half; then fold one half over the other to form a triangle. Place the point of the triangle in the center of the tart pan; unfold the dough. Fold the overlapping edge of the dough against the side of the tart pan to create a fairly thick edge. Using your thumb, press the edge into the ridges of the tart pan.
The foil, the beans, and the brief freeze – Prick the bottom (not sides) of the dough all over with the tines of a fork. Then cover the dough with a large piece of aluminum foil, gently pressing the foil into the contours of the tart pan. Then fill the foil-covered shell with 2 pounds of dried beans. Set the tart in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Baking the crust – 15-20 minutes at 425F with foil on; 10 minutes with foil off. Set the shell (still on the baking sheet) on the center rack of the preheated 425F oven; let bake until the crust’s sides are set — 15 to 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and its bean-weights, and continue baking until the crust is definitely done — it will feel fairly firm to the touch — about 10 minutes.
Cool the crust thoroughly on a wire rack before proceeding to the next step.
Making the ganache – Pour the broken-up chocolate into the large mixing bowl; set the wire-mesh sieve over the bowl. Then pour the cream and sugar into the small saucepan, and heat to boiling over a medium flame. Immediately pour the hot cream through the sieve, and into the chocolate (the sieve will catch any milk-solids that would otherwise interfere with the smooth texture of the ganache). Stir the chocolate and cream with the wire whisk until the chocolate melts into a glistening, dark lava. Then immediately stir in the orange liqueur.
Filling the shell – Pour the ganache into the center of the shell. Use an off-set spatula (or a regular spatula) to spread the molten mass out to the edge of the crust. Chill the ganache in the refrigerator until the filling is quite firm — about 2 hours.
Serving – Definitely let the tart come to room temperature before serving. Top each slice with sweetened whipped cream, and, if you wish, a sprig of mint.
Do me proud and make this Chocolate Ganache Tart, okay?
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Louise Brouillette says
OMG, I’m swooning from the deliciousness of it all! Bravo, Kevin, for improving on the diva-chef’s recipe!
Marjean says
You have definitely risen to the top of my “BAD PEOPLE” list with this recipe, Kevin. It’s not nice to tempt chocolate-deprived (and on a diet) people with such lusciousness! Yum – and now there’s drool all over my computer…
Donna B. says
Hoooo-boy! Thats what I call a mighty good tart!
You know, I follow the wisdom that you can still be on a ‘diet’ and eat delicious things like this – it’s all about control!
Don’t eat that fifth slice of pizza, don’t take a nap after dinner, and don’t just look at your exercise bike and say “I will get to you – tomorrow…” to yourself!
Of course I’m kidding, and I TOTALLY did not do that last night… [or did I?!] hee hee hee. ♥
Anyway. In the spirit of your request I’ll have to make this! Gotta pick up some more baker’s chocolate! I only have one box left over from making hot chocolate on a [cinnamon] stick for Christmas gifts! Everything else is already in my pantry!
Now Kevin, I do have to ask cuz I’ve been hesitant on doing it… when you use the dried beans to hold down the crusts during baking… can you still cook with them afterwards? [Silly to ask, I know… hehe.]
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Donna – I don’t eat the beans used for blind-baking, but I do keep them and reuse them. They are stored in a tub labeled “Well-Baked Beans.”
And as for dieting…I’m with you!
Paula D from Canada says
I too wondered about reusing the pea beans. My question is why a red spatula? Will my yellow or white one not work just as well?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Paula – I don’t know if the beans are suitable for cooking after they’ve been used to weight down a crust. But you can certainly save them and use them again and again for all your blind-baking chores. As for spatula-color, in a pinch you can use a blue, green, or white one 🙂
Gretchen Mercer says
Hello Kevin,
OMG!!! This is pure decadence and I intend to enjoy every blasted crumb. We have a special birthday coming up soon and rather than a ho-hum birthday cake, our Special Person will be getting one of these beauties instead. Meanwhile I’ll have to make one or more just to check my technique – got a better reason?
You mentioned using Cointreau in cookies – will you share the recipe with us- PLEASE?
Thank you!
P.S. Marjean isn’t the only one with drool all over the computer!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Gretchen – These cookies are amazing: https://www.agardenforthehouse.com/2012/11/cognac-cookies/
Brenda Johnson says
Thank you so much for providing my ray of sunshine in an otherwise horrid day Kevin! You came bearing chocolate- problems melted away! And such incredible chocolate this is!!!! The crust was buttery and flaky- and the filling just melts in your mouth with dark silky flavor…and a hint of orange- delicious!!!!! I still feel warm and fuzzy from my slice!
Zola says
OMG—My oven is out—SOOO I’m going to make pudding from your FANTASTIC
recipe—-Love the simplicity for the filling
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Brenda – So glad you taste-tested the tart for me, and that it somehow improved your day.
Zola – Bummer that your oven is out. One warning: ganache is not pudding-like at all. As it cools, it becomes quite firm. Just thought I’d alert you to this fact in case you plan to eat this rich deliciousness with a spoon!
Oriane says
Chocolate truly is the food of the Gods! This is simply Divine!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Oriane – Yes, Yes, and YES.
Carolyn Contois says
good luck topping this one kevin!!!!
Sharon Curley says
If I only have a green spatula and a blue bowl will it still come out ok? lol
Deb Smith says
I’m going to try this but using a mini muffin pan – hoping this will help to not over do it all at once.
carol says
can this ganache be used as a filling for a layer cake
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Carol – Yes, you can use this ganache as a filling for a cake. You can use it as is or whipped, per these instructions.
Grazyna says
I’ll try it as soon as I get a bright red spatula. You have not stirred me wrong. I tried other things and loved them all. And this sounds super.
Ian says
My wife made this for my birthday, and it was great with lightly sweetened whipped cream accented with tangerine zest. I would definitely advise not skimping on the quality of the chocolate since that’s pretty much all this tart is. We used 68% bittersweet, adding just 2 Tbsp sugar and it came through great. Thanks again, Kevin!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Ian – Tangerine zest sounds like a great addition. And you are right about the chocolate — quality counts.
Pamela Terry says
I love the wonderful detail and pictures! Better than any cookbook or cooking show. This newsletter is truly wonderful! Thank you for sharing so much !!!
Kavya says
Hi Kevin,
Your chocolate ganache tart looks very tempting , will try to make it tomorrow. Hope it comes out well.
Shawnee says
Thank you, thank you. thank you, Kevin! Dessert tonight! and it looks spectacular! YAY!
Lisa G says
Kevin, This looks divine!! I hadn’t discovered your fabulous blog yet when it was posted, but thanks for linking back to it in the lime pie recipe!!! I now have to wonder if the faded I Love Lucy glass works better than the yellow bowl?! I have a yellow bowl, so I may try THAT! Ha! 🙂
Astrid says
I make the recipe by the well-known cooking personality but was wondering if I could add Cointreau and boom! Found your improvements. Thanks for the tip about placing the tart pan on the yellow bowl. Ingenious!