The Ultimate Ina Garten Dark Chocolate Tart Recipe for Dessert Lovers

This dark chocolate tart whispers seductive promises of rich, silky indulgence that melts effortlessly on your palate.

Decadent and luxurious, such a dessert transforms ordinary moments into extraordinary experiences of pure culinary bliss.

Smooth chocolate layers combine with a buttery, crisp crust that crumbles delicately beneath each careful forkful.

Sophisticated yet approachable, this tart represents a stunning centerpiece for intimate gatherings or celebratory occasions.

Bittersweet notes dance across your taste buds, creating a symphony of intense chocolate complexity.

Elegant and deceptively simple, this dessert combines classic techniques with modern sensibilities that elevate home baking.

Professional pastry skills aren’t necessary to craft this impressive sweet creation: try it now.

Why Dark Chocolate Tart Feels So Luxurious

• Decadent Chocolate Sensation: This tart delivers an intense chocolate experience with multiple layers of rich, velvety chocolate that melt in your mouth, offering a luxurious dessert that chocolate lovers will absolutely adore.
• Effortless Gourmet Elegance: Despite looking like a sophisticated restaurant-quality dessert, the recipe is surprisingly simple to prepare, requiring minimal technical skills and basic kitchen equipment, making it perfect for home bakers wanting to impress without stress.
• Texture Symphony: The recipe combines contrasting textures – a crisp chocolate cookie crust, smooth silky filling, glossy chocolate glaze, and a sprinkle of crunchy sea salt – creating a delightful sensory journey with each bite.
• Versatile Entertaining Centerpiece: Whether served at an elegant dinner party, casual gathering, or as a special weekend treat, this dark chocolate tart transforms any occasion into a memorable culinary moment that guests will remember and request again.

What You’ll Need for Ina’s Chocolate Tart

• Chocolate Wafers: Dark, rich base with deep chocolate flavor, look for high-quality wafers with intense cocoa notes.
• Sugar: Sweetens and helps bind the crust together, select fine granulated sugar for smooth texture.
• Unsalted Butter: Provides richness and helps crust hold its shape, ensure butter is melted and at room temperature.

• Dark Chocolate: High-quality chocolate creates smooth, intense filling, choose chocolate with at least 60% cocoa content.
• Heavy Cream: Creates luxurious, silky texture for filling, select cream with high fat content.
• Large Eggs: Adds structure and richness to filling, use fresh room-temperature eggs.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances chocolate flavor with warm, subtle undertones, pure vanilla gives best results.

• Dark Chocolate, Coffee Granules: Adds depth and complexity to glaze, select finely ground instant coffee.
• Heavy Cream: Helps create smooth, glossy chocolate glaze, use same cream as filling.
• Sea Salt: Provides contrasting flavor and enhances chocolate's richness, choose flaky sea salt for better texture.

How to Bake a Rich Chocolate Tart Like a Pro

Step 1: Prepare the Oven

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C.

Step 2: Create Chocolate Crust

• Chocolate wafers
• Sugar
• Unsalted butter

Pulse chocolate wafers and sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Mix with melted butter in a mixing bowl. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch / 23 cm tart pan with a removable bottom. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Allow the crust to cool completely.

Step 3: Craft Silky Chocolate Filling

• Dark chocolate
• Heavy cream
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract

Finely chop the chocolate and place in a large bowl. Heat cream in a saucepan until it reaches a gentle boil. Pour hot cream over chocolate and let sit for 1 minute. Whisk until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy. Gently stir in eggs and vanilla until well combined. Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, looking for set edges with a slight jiggle in the center. Remove and let cool completely.

Step 4: Design Luxurious Chocolate Glaze

• Dark chocolate
• Coffee granules
• Heavy cream
• Sea salt

Combine chopped chocolate and coffee granules in a bowl. Heat cream in a saucepan until boiling. Pour hot cream over chocolate mixture and let sit for 1 minute. Whisk until completely smooth and glossy. Pour glaze evenly over the cooled tart, spreading to the edges. Sprinkle with a delicate touch of sea salt.

Step 5: Serve and Enjoy

Allow the tart to rest at room temperature until the glaze sets completely. Carefully remove from the tart pan and transfer to a serving plate. Slice into elegant wedges. Serve at room temperature for the most luxurious chocolate experience.

Tip: For best results, use high-quality dark chocolate and fresh ingredients.

Tips to Keep the Crust Crisp and Buttery

• Temper Ingredients Perfectly: Bring eggs and cream to room temperature for a silky-smooth chocolate filling that blends effortlessly.
• Bake with Precision: Watch for a slightly jiggly center when removing the tart from the oven to ensure a luscious, creamy texture.
• Allow Complete Cooling: Give the tart ample time to cool before glazing, preventing the topping from melting into the rich chocolate filling.
• Sift Coffee Smoothly: Eliminate gritty coffee granules by sifting them carefully before incorporating into the glossy glaze.
• Remove Carefully: Gently transfer the delicate tart from pan to serving plate using a flat spatula to preserve its beautiful crust and elegant shape.

Storing Chocolate Tart for Dessert Tomorrow

• Preserve Flavor Seal: Carefully wrap the tart in multiple layers of plastic wrap, ensuring no air pockets remain. Press the wrap directly against the chocolate surface to prevent moisture and flavor absorption from other refrigerator items.
• Temperature Control: Store the tart in the coldest part of your refrigerator, typically the back section near the cooling element. Maintain a consistent temperature between 35-40°F to keep the chocolate's texture smooth and prevent crystallization.
• Serving Strategy: Remove the tart from the refrigerator 20-30 minutes before serving to allow it to soften slightly. This gentle warming helps restore the chocolate's silky texture and enhances its rich, deep flavor profile, making each slice a decadent experience.

Flavor Additions for a New Chocolate Spin

• Mocha Chocolate Tart: Replace coffee granules with espresso powder for a more intense coffee flavor. Add a hint of cinnamon to the filling for warmth and depth.
• Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart: Drizzle homemade salted caramel sauce over the top before serving. Create a caramel swirl in the chocolate filling for extra richness.
• Raspberry Chocolate Tart: Sprinkle fresh raspberries on top of the tart. Infuse the cream with raspberry extract for a fruity undertone in the filling.
• Nutty Chocolate Tart: Mix ground toasted almonds or hazelnuts into the crust. Garnish with chopped nuts and a light dusting of cocoa powder before serving.

Tart Takeaway for Chocolate Lovers

Dark chocolate tart emerges as pure indulgence from Ina Garten’s magical kitchen repertoire.

Silky ganache layers meld seamlessly with rich chocolate crust, creating an elegant dessert experience.

Rich chocolate notes dance across palates with delicate coffee undertones.

Complex flavors whisper sophisticated culinary artistry at each delectable bite.

Chocolate enthusiasts will discover mediterranean-inspired decadence within this masterful recipe.

Salt crystals add provocative contrast, inviting eager palates to explore, savor, share this divine dish – go ahead, snap that perfect photo, tag #ChocolateTartLife, and spread deliciousness across social platforms.

Ina Garten Dark Chocolate Tart Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.7 from 27 reviews

• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Rich French Dark Chocolate Tart brings luxurious chocolate elegance to dessert tables with silky ganache nestled in a buttery crust. Chocolate enthusiasts will savor intense flavors and velvety texture that transport palates straight to Paris.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Crust:

• 1 (9-ounce / 255-gram) box Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers
• 6 tablespoons / 85 grams unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ cup / 50 grams sugar

Filling:

• 6 ½ ounces / 185 grams bittersweet chocolate (such as Lindt), finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 ¼ cups / 300 milliliters heavy cream
• 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (such as Nielsen-Massey)
• ¼ teaspoon instant coffee granules

Topping:

• 3 ounces / 85 grams bittersweet chocolate (such as Lindt), finely chopped (about ½ cup)
• ¼ cup / 60 milliliters heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon flaked sea salt (such as Maldon)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Meticulously prepare the chocolate cookie crust by pulverizing chocolate wafers and granulated sugar in a food processor until achieving a uniform, fine texture. Blend thoroughly with melted unsalted butter, creating a cohesive mixture.
2. Carefully press the crumbly crust into a 9-inch / 23 cm tart pan with a removable bottom, ensuring an even distribution across the bottom and sides. Transfer the pan to a baking sheet and roast in a preheated oven at 350°F / 175°C for 10 minutes, allowing the crust to set and develop a rich, toasted flavor.
3. For the sumptuous filling, precisely chop high-quality chocolate into small, uniform pieces. Gently heat heavy cream in a saucepan until it reaches a rolling boil, then immediately pour over the chocolate. Allow the mixture to rest for one minute, then whisk until achieving a silky, glossy consistency.
4. Incorporate room-temperature eggs and pure vanilla extract into the chocolate ganache, stirring until fully integrated. Carefully pour the luxurious filling into the pre-baked crust, maintaining an even distribution.
5. Return the tart to the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, watching for a subtle jiggle in the center while ensuring the edges appear set. Remove and allow to cool completely at room temperature.
6. Craft the decadent chocolate glaze by combining finely chopped chocolate with instant coffee granules in a mixing bowl. Heat additional heavy cream until boiling, then pour over the chocolate mixture. Let rest momentarily before whisking into a smooth, glossy topping.
7. Once the tart has cooled, generously drizzle the coffee-infused chocolate glaze over the surface, using a spatula to spread evenly to the edges. Finish with a delicate sprinkle of flaky sea salt for a sophisticated flavor contrast.
8. Allow the tart to rest at room temperature until the glaze sets completely. Gently remove from the tart pan, transfer to an elegant serving plate, and slice into graceful wedges. Serve at room temperature for optimal taste and texture.

Notes

• Warm ingredients blend seamlessly, creating a silky-smooth chocolate filling that’s free from lumps.
• Gentle baking ensures a perfectly creamy center with set edges, preventing a dry, crumbly texture.
• Patience matters when cooling the tart, allowing the delicate filling to stabilize before glazing.
• Sifting coffee granules eliminates unwanted graininess, delivering a perfectly smooth glaze.
• Careful handling protects the delicate crust, maintaining the tart’s beautiful presentation from pan to plate.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice (based on 8 servings)
• Calories: 370
• Sugar: 22g
• Sodium: 70mg
• Fat: 25g
• Saturated Fat: 14g
• Carbohydrates: 32g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 4g
• Cholesterol: 85mg