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a bittersweet chocolate ganache tart with shortbread crust on a cake stand
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5 from 3 votes

Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache Tart with Shortbread Crust

This bittersweet chocolate ganache tart with shortbread crust is rich and wonderful and not overly sweet. It's been a favorite in our family for decades, and its simple elegance never gets old.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time33 minutes
Additional Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 33 minutes
Course: Pies & Tarts
Cuisine: English
Keyword: bittersweet chocolate tart, chocolate ganache tart, chocolate tart with shortbread crust
Calories: 435kcal
Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 12 tablespoons (168 grams) cold butter, diced
  • ⅔ cup (80 grams) powdered sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour

For the filling

  • 2 whole eggs
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 5 tablespoons (63 grams) granulated sugar
  • 10 tablespoons (140 grams) butter
  • 7 ounces (200 grams) bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped

Instructions

For the dough:

  • Place the butter, powdered sugar, and egg yolks in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade.
  • Pulse until combined but still speckled with butter.
  • Add the flour and run the machine just until the dough comes together easily when you pinch it between your fingers.
  • Turn dough out onto a large piece of parchment, knead a few times to bring it all together, and pat it into a disc shape.
  • Wrap well in parchment and chill for about half an hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center.
  • Remove dough from the fridge and let it rest on the counter for 15 minutes.
  • Sprinkle a bit of flour on your work surface, and roll out the dough with a rolling pin to an approximately 12-inch circle.
  • Transfer the dough very carefully to a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing on the dough lightly so it sits snugly against the bottom and sides of the pan.
  • Prick the bottom of the shell all over with a fork.
  • Place the tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Place a piece of parchment paper over the shell, making sure to cover the edges. Spread plenty of dried beans over the parchment, covering the whole bottom of the tart shell.
  • Bake for 15 minutes this way.
  • Remove the parchment and beans and return the shell to the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

For the filling:

  • Raise the oven temperature to 375F.
  • Place the eggs, yolks, and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for about five minutes on medium-high speed, until thick and fluffy.
  • Place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for one minute. Stir to combine thoroughly – the residual heat should completely melt both the butter and the chocolate as you stir. (If not, continue to microwave in short bursts until you can stir the mixture to a complete melt.)
  • Pour the chocolate and butter mixture, which should be just warm, into the mixer with the sugar and egg mixture, and mix until just combined. I like to do the last few strokes with a spatula.
  • Pour the filling into the tart shell.
  • Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until just set. The filling will retain a bit of a wobble while hot, but should not be sloshy. You can trust that it will set up quite a bit as it cools.
  • Let tart cool completely before serving.

Notes

  1. You can use salted or unsalted butter in both the shell and the filling. I like to use a good cultured, salted butter for the vastly superior flavor. It sounds fancy but doesn't have to be. Kerrygold, for example, is widely sold in supermarkets for a reasonable price.
  2. According to most guidance, bittersweet chocolate tends to contain about 70% cacao, and semi-sweet has about 60% (meaning it's a bit sweeter and less intensely chocolatey). However, you'll see above that at least one common brand of baking chocolate with 60% cacao is labeled bittersweet. The good news is, these two products will meet with equal success in this recipe, so you can choose your favorite bittersweet or semisweet bars and just go ahead and use them. Good-quality chips will also work just fine.Cut this rich tart into thin slices — a single 10-inch tart serves 12. My favorite, simple accompaniment is a bit of softly whipped cream.
  3. It's best to make this tart in advance, since you'll need it to cool completely before slicing. (Otherwise the filling will ooze a bit, rather than slicing neatly — not the worst thing in the world, but not exactly profesh, either.) 
  4. Once completely cooled, you can keep this tart, covered, at cool room temperature for up to about 24 hours. After that, store it in the fridge for up to a week. Bring back to room temperature before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 35.7g | Protein: 5.6g | Fat: 30.3g | Fiber: 1.9g