Hello! I’m Cassandre, and today on Caramel Loafing, we’re recreating a decadent French classic focused on pure chocolate flavor with zero unnecessary fuss: the Chocolate Tart (La Tarte au Chocolat).
For many bakers, mastering tarts marks a milestone. It’s both thrilling and intimidating. The thrill? Once you’ve got it down, the world of sweet tarts is yours to explore. The intimidation? Tart dough can be notoriously tricky—it has a mind of its own (seriously!).
This recipe pays tribute to legendary Parisian pastry chef Jacques Genin. We’ll walk you through how to use perforated tart rings (aka French tart rings with holes) to create bakery-quality shells with ease. Genin’s chocolate ganache filling is elegantly simple, allowing you to focus on mastering that crisp, delicate crust. Pro tip: the crust is so good, leftover dough makes amazing cookies!
We’ve faithfully followed the master’s original formula for the filling, using Valrhona Caraïbe 66% dark chocolate. You can substitute with any bittersweet chocolate over 60%, but for a dessert this pure, we recommend staying between 60–66% for a perfectly balanced flavor—neither too sweet nor too bitter.
More Dessert Recipes You’ll Love – Best Cakes & Classics: If you enjoyed this rich and silky French Chocolate Ganache Tart recipe, you’ll definitely fall in love with these other irresistible dessert recipes:
A melt-in-your-mouth, indulgent classic: Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
A simple, timeless cake that’s endlessly satisfying: Chocolate Marble Cake (Marbré au Chocolat)
Moist, sweet, and impossible to resist: Portuguese Molten Sponge Cake (Pão de Ló de Ovar)
Fluffy, dramatic, and picture-perfect pancake right out of the oven: Dutch Baby Pancake
A soft, spiced classic cake beloved across the U.S. and Europe: Classic Carrot Cake
French Chocolate Tart Recipe
Ingredients
Tart Ring Size: 6 perforated tart rings, each 7 cm (2.75") in diameter and 2 cm (0.8") tall
Yield: 6–8 individual tarts
☞ Sweet Tart Crust (Pâte Sucrée)
- All-purpose flour – 125g (4.4 oz)
- Almond flour – 15g (0.5 oz)
- Powdered sugar – 50g (1.8 oz)
- Cold unsalted butter, cubed – 70g (2.5 oz)
- Salt – 1g (0.04 oz)
- Whole egg, beaten – 25g (0.9 oz)
☞ Chocolate Ganache Filling
- Heavy cream – 220g (7.8 oz)
- 66% dark chocolate – 200g (7 oz)
Want to know the calorie count and nutritional info? Use our dessert nutrition calculator.
Instructions
- Start with the tart dough. Sift together the flour, almond flour, and powdered sugar into a food processor. Add salt and pulse to combine.
- Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the beaten egg and pulse until the dough just comes together into a ball. (No food processor? You can mix everything by hand.)
- Transfer the dough to a work surface. Using a bench scraper or the heel of your palm, gently press and smear the dough forward once or twice—this French technique is called “fraisage” and helps the butter blend evenly into the flour.
- Divide the dough into two portions. Sandwich each piece between parchment paper and roll out to 2 mm (0.08") thick. One sheet will be for the tart bottoms, the other for the sides. Chill in the freezer for 1 hour.
- Lightly butter the inside of your perforated tart rings. Take one sheet of firm, chilled dough and cut out the tart bottoms using the rings as cutters. Leave the dough inside the rings and chill again.
- Cut the second dough sheet into strips about 24 cm (9.5") long and 2.5 cm (1") wide. If they soften, chill again before using.
- Carefully line the inner edges of each tart ring with a dough strip. Gently press to adhere without stretching. Trim off any excess and chill the assembled shells for 20 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 338°F (170°C) and bake for 18–22 minutes, or until golden. Adjust time based on your oven.
- Cool the tart shells completely on a wire rack before removing the rings.
- Make the ganache: finely chop the chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl.
- Heat the cream over medium-low heat just until it begins to simmer, then pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes to soften.
- Use a spatula or whisk to stir from the center outward, keeping the spatula in contact with the bottom of the bowl to avoid incorporating air. Stir until smooth and glossy.
- Pour the ganache into the cooled tart shells. Let cool at room temperature. In cool climates, they're ready to enjoy as soon as the filling sets; in warmer areas, chill briefly before serving. Store in the fridge and consume within 3 days.
For a full step-by-step visual guide, watch the video here: French Chocolate Tart Tutorial