Chocolate Tart Recipe

Prepare dry ingredients

Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and fine sea salt in a large bowl until evenly combined and no lumps of cocoa remain.

Cut in fats

Add the cold cubed butter and optional cold shortening to the dry mix. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, work the fats into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining (about 6–8 turns).

Add egg yolk and water

Mix the egg yolk with the ice water and drizzle into the crumbly dough. Use a spatula to fold and press until the dough just comes together. If needed, add up to 1 tablespoon more ice water, 1 tsp at a time; do not overwork.

Chill the dough

Form the dough into a flat disk about 1 inch thick, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 days) to firm up.

Preheat and roll

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter and roughly 1/8–1/4 inch thick. Gently transfer the dough to a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom, easing it into the corners without stretching.

Trim and chill again

Trim excess dough, leaving a clean edge, and use a fork to prick the bottom a few times to prevent bubbling. Chill the tart shell in the pan in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to reduce shrinkage.

Blind bake

Line the shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 18–22 minutes until the edges are set. Remove weights and parchment, then bake 5–7 minutes more to dry the bottom; the crust should be firm but not completely dark. If bottom puffs, press gently with the back of a spoon.

Cool

Let the shell cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes before filling. If any cracks occurred, press them gently to reseal while still slightly warm.

Warm the cream

Place the finely chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it just begins to simmer and small bubbles form at the edge; do not boil.

Combine cream and chocolate

Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Let sit undisturbed for 1 minute to soften, then gently stir from the center outward with a spatula or whisk until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy.

Finish ganache

Stir in the room-temperature butter pieces, corn syrup (if using), and 1/4 tsp fine sea salt until incorporated. Taste and adjust salt if desired. If the mixture is slightly cool and not pourable, warm briefly over a double boiler while stirring, or microwave in 5–10 second bursts until fluid.

Pour into shell

Pour the ganache into the cooled tart shell, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Tap the pan gently on the counter to release any air bubbles.

Set

Let the tart sit at room temperature for 30–60 minutes until the ganache firms to the desired set. For a quicker set and cleaner slices, refrigerate for 1–2 hours. If refrigerated, remove 10–15 minutes before slicing to soften slightly.

Garnish and serve

Just before serving, sprinkle flaky sea salt lightly over the ganache and dust the edges with cocoa powder if desired. Serve slices with whipped cream or fresh berries.