Chocolate and coffee are a match made in heaven. And then that match happens in a decadent ganache, it's hard to go wrong. This tart is filled with a luscious ganache and then topped with fresh seasonal fruit - I used berries. It's so dark and delicious that taking photos of it is like trying to capture darkness itself. It's so good. What's more, this amazing dessert can be assembled in about a half hour. What's not to love?
You can, of course, opt for other crushed cookie crumbs. I like the chocolate graham crackers because they are lovely, but do not detract at all from the star of this show, which is the ganache. I used espresso dark chocolate chips (about a bag and a half) because … oh … so … amazing, but you can opt for any variety of high quality chocolate chip. Invest in these and the result will have you dreaming about it. I opted for fresh strawberries, blueberries, and cherries. They are stunning with this tart, but other fresh fruit can be substituted or a bit of your favorite spiked whipped cream could be added. Even chocolate-covered espresso beans would be a nice touch. You get the idea.
Even if you set this tart in the refrigerator, serve it at room temperature. The texture and creaminess of the ganache is best when the tart is not chilled. Small slices with a generous topping of fruit is gorgeous and sinful. If you want, serve alongside a small pour of port, whiskey, or a strong red wine. Mmmmmm, summer nights!
Dark Chocolate Espresso Tart
- 1 ½ c. chocolate graham cracker crumbs
- 5 T. butter, melted
- ¼ c. granulated sugar
- 12 oz. espresso dark chocolate chips (or other quality chocolate chips of your choice)
- 4 T. butter room temperature, cut into small pieces
- 1 c. heavy whipping cream
- Mixed fresh seasonal fruit - I used sliced strawberries, whole blueberries, and pitted halved cherries
To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Combine all of the crust ingredients (chocolate graham cracker crumbs through granulated sugar) in a medium bowl until crumbly. Press firmly into a 9″ tart pan (sides first, then bottom). You can use the bottom of a heavy measuring cup to get an even crust. Bake the crust for 7-8 minutes. Cool the crust completely in the pan.
To make the filling, place the chocolate chips and butter into a large microwaveable bowl; set aside.
In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream just barely to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and cover the bowl immediately with plastic wrap. Let the bowl stand for 5 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and stir the contents with a spatula until combined and smooth. If you still have chunks of chocolate, you can microwave the bowl for 10-15 second intervals - stirring between each microwaving - to get a smooth ganache.
Pour the filling into the cooled tart shell and allow to set – overnight at room temperature or 1-2 hours in the fridge. I like to allow mine to set at room temperature with a large glass bowl inverted over the tart - it also smells amazing when you lift the bowl away!
Serve slices at room temperature topped with an assortment of fresh seasonal fruit of your choice.
- Yields: 8-12 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes plus setting time