Who doesn’t love an indulgent dessert that’s both easy to make and impressive to serve? This Chocolate Ganache Tart recipe with Toasted Pecan Crust is a showstopper! I took inspiration from a recipe on Cake N Knife, but I made a few changes to suit my taste and fit my larger 11-inch tart pan.
This tart is a blend of rich, velvety chocolate ganache and a buttery, nutty crust that’ll have your guests coming back for seconds. Let’s dive into the recipe and my tweaks to make it even better!
Why I Made Some Changes
- No Hazelnuts? No Problem! I’m not a fan of hazelnuts, so I swapped them for toasted pecans, which add a warm, buttery flavor. Toasting the pecans enhances their nuttiness and makes the crust irresistible.
- Larger Tart Pan? Adjust Accordingly. The original recipe is for a 9-inch tart pan, but my fluted 11-inch pan needed a little more dough and ganache to ensure a perfect fit.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. Instead of dark chocolate, I used high-quality semi-sweet chocolate chips. These are the same ones my mom used to make her famous chocolate turtles—perfectly balanced, smooth, and delicious.
What You’ll Need for the chocolate ganache tart recipe
Here’s the lowdown on tools and ingredients for this decadent tart:
Tools
- Mini electric food chopper (for the nuts)
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Rolling pin
- Fluted tart pan with a removable bottom
- Pie weights or dried beans
- Parchment paper
Ingredients for a 9-Inch Tart
Pastry:
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp toasted pecans (2 ounces)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Ganache Filling:
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Topping:
- 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
How to Make Chocolate ganache tart recipe
1. The Perfect Pecan Pastry
Toast the pecans in a dry pan or the oven. Be careful not to burn them!
Use a mini food chopper to grind the toasted pecans with 1 tablespoon of sugar until finely ground.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the pecan mixture, flour, salt, and remaining sugar. Add the butter and mix on low speed until crumbly.
Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until the dough comes together.
Form the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour (or freeze for 10-15 minutes if you’re in a rush).
2. Preparing the Crust
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray your tart pan with vegetable oil spray.
On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle. Gently press it into the tart pan, trimming the excess. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Line the crust with parchment paper, fill with pie weights, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the weights and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely.
3. Velvety Ganache Filling
Bring heavy cream to a simmer in a saucepan, then remove from heat.
Add the chocolate chips to the hot cream, let sit for 5 minutes, and whisk until smooth.
4. Assembling the Tart
Pour the ganache into the cooled crust.
Top with fresh raspberries and sprinkle with extra chopped pecans for garnish.
Refrigerate until set, about 1.5 hours.
5. Serve & Enjoy!
Remove the tart ring, slice into wedges, and watch it disappear in seconds.
Final Thoughts
This Chocolate Ganache Pecan Tart is a game-changer for any gathering or special occasion. The toasted pecan crust adds a unique twist, and the smooth ganache filling paired with tart raspberries is simply divine.
Give this recipe a try and let me know how it turns out! Do you love experimenting with recipes too? I’d love to hear about your favorite tart variations. Don’t forget to check out my other delectable flourless chocolate torte recipe here
Happy baking!
Karin
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Chocolate Ganache Pecan crust tart
Ingredients
- Pastry
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons toasted pecans 2 ounces
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1 stick cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Filling
- 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- Topping
- 1/2 cup raspberries
Instructions
- To make the pastry, toast the pecans in a pan or in the oven. Be careful not to burn them. Add pecans to a mini food processor with 1 Tbsp sugar. Process until finely ground.
- Scrape the nut mixture into a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add flour, salt, and remaining 3 Tbsp sugar, mixing until combined.
- Add butter and beat on low speed until incorporated fully. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. For the dough into a disc and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or pop in freezer for about 10-15 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350˚F. Spray a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom with vegetable oil spray.
- On a lightly floured work surface. roll out pastry into a 12-inch round. Gently lift the dough and place in the tart pan. Be sure to press it into the corners and patch any tears. Remove any excess pastry. Refrigerator for 10 minutes while oven preheats.
- Line the pastry shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove parchment and weights. Bake for another 15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely in the pan.
- To make ganache filling- Measure chocolate chips in 2 cup measuring cup
- Bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Once simmering, remove from heat and add chocolate chips. Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
- Pour chocolate into the cooled tart shell. Arrange fresh raspberries on top as desired with chopped pecans.
- Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- When ready to serve, remove tart ring and cut into wedges.
Wow that looks incredible! I love chocolate ganache… but I do usually use dark chocolate since I just love it.