These mini chocolate tarts are made with chocolate pastry shells and filled with a silky smooth and rich chocolate ganache.
The chocolate pastry shells are carefully crafted to provide a sturdy yet tender base, made with cocoa powder to enhance the chocolate flavor.
The star of the show, however, is the silky smooth and rich chocolate ganache that fills each tart.
This velvety mixture of high-quality chocolate and cream creates a luxurious texture that melts in your mouth with every bite.
The contrast between the slightly crisp shell and the creamy filling makes for an irresistible textural experience.
These tarts are not only incredibly delicious but also a visually appealing dessert that can be easily customized with various toppings or garnishes to suit any occasion.
For more For more mini desserts, check out my mini fruit tarts, mini chocolate tarts, mini strawberry cheesecakes, mini no bake cheesecakes, mini Oreo cheesecakes.
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Why this recipe works
- Chocolate flavor- if you are a chocolate lover, you are going to love these tarts! They are made with an addictive buttery chocolate tart shells, and filled with a silky smooth chocolate ganache.
- Chocolate shortbread crust- these tarts are made with a delicious buttery chocolate shortbread crust that comes together in a food processor and is extremely delicious.
- Lucious chocolate ganache filling- these mini tarts are filled with a delicious chocolate ganache filling that is rich, silky smooth, and luxurious.
- Individual portion size- these are perfectly portioned so there is no need to slice the tart.
- Ease- even though these look impressive, they are actually surprisingly easy to make, made with simple in ingredients and are so delicious!
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
For the chocolate shortbread crust
Dutch process cocoa powder– I like to use Dutch process cocoa powder for our brownies because we like the deep and rich chocolate taste, but the natural cocoa powder will work great as well!
Flour– I used all-purpose flour for this recipe. cake flour will work great as well.
Eggs- you will need 1 egg for this recipe. Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature.
Kosher salt- you will need about ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe.
Powder sugar- you will need powdered sugar for this recipe. you don’t have to buy powdered sugar, you can simply make it at home by blending granulated sugar in a blender or food processor.
Butter- use unsalted butter for this recipe. Only butter will work. avoid margarine and coconut oil. Margarine has an odd taste that can ruin the flavor of this delicious crust. Ensure your butter is cold.
For the chocolate ganache
Chocolate- use the best quality semisweet or dark chocolate bars for the best flavor. Using the best quality dark chocolate is very important in this recipe.
Heavy cream- use full-fat heavy cream for this recipe. This cant is substituted.
Instructions
Make the crust
Start by making the tart dough. In a food processor, add the flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and salt, and mix until combined.
Add the cold cubed butter, and blend until there are pea-sized pieces of butter. If you don't have a food processor, you can do it by hand, mixing the cold butter into the flour mixture. Make sure that your hands are cold.
Then, add the egg, and the vanilla extract and mix until a dough forms. Try not to overmix the dough.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
Transfer the dough onto a clean floured surface and roll it with a rolling pin into a rectangle using a cookie cutter or a round bowl (1 inch larger than the mini tart pans) and cut small rounds of the pastry.
Place the pastry inside the mini tart pan and press it down using your clean hands. Cut off the extra edges. Make holes in the bottom of the pan with a fork and place them in the freezer for at least 20 minutes.
Bake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool while making the filling.
Make the chocolate ganache
Melt dark chocolate and heavy cream in a small to medium mixing bowl in the microwave for 30-second pulses or in a bain marie.
Let the chocolate and the cream sit for 10 minutes for the chocolate to melt, then mix until the chocolate ganache is smooth and silky.
Pour the chocolate ganache into the cooled tart shells until almost full. Carefully transfer to the fridge for 2-3 hours to set.
Expert Tips
- Use COLD butter for the crust, we suggest cutting the butter into cubes and then placing it in the fridge, so when you are ready to use it, it will be very cold.
- Let the pastry dough rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour before handling it. This will make it easier to roll out the crust and handle it.
- If the crust puffs a bit while baking, press it down using a cup.
- Freeze the crust for at least 20 minutes before baking it. This will keep your crust from collapsing while baking.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture.
- Choose high-quality chocolate. The success of your mini chocolate tarts largely depends on the quality of chocolate you use. Opt for premium dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content for a rich, intense flavor.
- Use a food processor for smooth dough. To achieve a perfectly smooth chocolate pastry dough, use a food processor to combine your ingredients. This method prevents overmixing and ensures even distribution of the cocoa powder.
- Use an easy-release tartlets pan. We use an easy-release tartlets pan for all of our tart recipes. This makes sure that your tart will be easy to release from the pan.
- Allow proper setting time. Patience is key when making chocolate tarts. Allow your filled tarts to set in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, for the best texture and flavor development.
Faq's
Yes. You can make these with store-bought pastry shells. Simply skip the process of making the crust.
They feature a small, crisp chocolate tart crust that's filled with smooth chocolate ganache.
The combination of the crunchy shell and creamy filling creates a delicious contrast in textures that chocolate lovers adore.
The smaller version of the tart is called a tartlet or tartlets. This mini fruit tart is a great example as well as my mini fruit tarts.
Storing
Store these mini tarts in the fridge because they contain dairy. Cover them with plastic wrap or foil to prevent the fridge smells soak into them.
Freezing
To freeze these tarts, start by ensuring they are completely cooled to room temperature after assembly.
Place the tarts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure they're not touching each other. Put the baking sheet in the freezer for about 2 hours or until the tarts are firm.
Once frozen, carefully transfer the tarts to an airtight container or freezer bag, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Label the container with the date and contents, then return it to the freezer.
These can be stored frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, simply thaw them in the refrigerator for a few hours or at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Substitutions
Gluten-free- make these gluten-free by replacing the flour with gluten-free flour or make your favorite gluten-free crust.
Dairy-free- make this dairy-free by replacing the heavy cream with vegan heavy cream, or coconut cream, or make your favorite dairy-free chocolate ganache recipe!
Variations
Crust- make a no-bake crust instead of a baked shortcrust one. You can use the recipe from my oreo tart recipe.
Ganache- you can fill these tarts with a milk chocolate ganache or white chocolate ganache instead of a regular ganache for milk chocolate lovers!
Salted caramel- add a layer of gooey salted caramel between the crust and ganache for a sweet and salty twist.
Raspberry swirl- top the chocolate ganache with a dollop of raspberry compote or raspberry sauce and make swirls with a butter knife or a toothpick.
Nutty crunch- sprinkle your favorite chopped nuts on top of the chocolate ganache for an added crunch like hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds.
Orange zest- grate some orange zest into the ganache for a citrusy kick that complements the chocolate. This is perfect for chocolate and orange lovers.
Coconut dream- sprinkle toasted coconut flakes on top of the ganache for a tropical touch.
Serving Tips
Berry garnish- add a fresh raspberry or strawberry on top of each tart to bring a pop of color and fruity flavor.
Whipped cream- pipe a small dollop of whipped cream on each tart and dust with cocoa powder for a fancy touch.
Chocolate drizzle- drizzle melted white or dark chocolate over the tarts in a zigzag pattern for extra chocolatey goodness.
Nuts and caramel- sprinkle chopped toasted nuts on top and add a small drizzle of caramel sauce for a crunchy, sweet finish.
Ice cream- place a small scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of each tart for a delightful contrast of warm and cold.
Equipment
- Easy-release tartlets pan
- Mixing bowl (set of 3)
- You will also need a food processor to make the crust (if you are not using a store-bought crust).
- Rubber spatula.
- Whisk set.
- Measuring cup set.
More tart recipes
Oreo tart- This oreo tart is made with an oreo tart crust, topped with an incredibly creamy chocolate filling, topped with whipped cream, and oreo chunks.
Nutella tart- This Nutella tart is made with an easy hazelnut tart crust, filled with a decadent and creamy Nutella filling, and topped with chopped toasted hazelnuts.
Lemon tart- This lemon tart is made with a buttery pastry crust and filled with a zesty lemon curd filling. This tart is a ray of sunshine in a dessert!
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If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Best Mini Chocolate Tarts
Ingredients
Make the chocolate shortcrust pastry
- 2 cups Flour
- ¼ cups Cocoa powder
- ½ cups Powder sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup Butter cold, unsalted
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Make the chocolate ganache
- 10.5 oz Dark chocolate
- 10.5 oz Heavy cream
Instructions
Make the crust
- Start by making the tart dough. In a food processor, add the flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and salt, and mix until combined.
- Add the cold cubed butter, and blend until there are pea-sized pieces of butter. If you dont have a food processor, you can do it by hand, mixing the cold butter into the flour mixture. Make sure that your hands are cold.
- Then, add the egg, and the vanilla extract and mix until a dough forms. Try not to overmix the dough.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Transfer the dough onto a clean floured surface and roll it with a rolling pin into a rectangle using a cookie cutter or a round bowl (1 inch larger than the mini tart pans) and cut small rounds of the pastry.
- Place the pastry inside the mini tart pan and press it down using your clean hands. Cut off the extra edges. Make holes in the bottom of the pan with a fork and place them in the freezer for at least 20 minutes.
- Bake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool while making the filling.
Make the chocolate ganache
- Melt dark chocolate and heavy cream in a small to medium mixing bowl in the microwave for 30-second pulses or in a bain marie.
- Let the chocolate and the cream sit for 10 minutes for the chocolate to melt, then mix until the chocolate ganache is smooth and silky.
- Pour the chocolate ganache into the cooled tart shells until almost full. Carefully transfer to the fridge for 2-3 hours to set.
Notes
- Use COLD butter for the crust, we suggest cutting the butter into cubes and then placing it in the fridge, so when you are ready to use it, it will be very cold.
- Let the pastry dough rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour before handling it. This will make it easier to roll out the crust and handle it.
- If the crust puffs a bit while baking, press it down using a cup.
- Freeze the crust for at least 20 minutes before baking it. This will keep your crust from collapsing while baking.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture.
- Choose high-quality chocolate. The success of your mini chocolate tarts largely depends on the quality of the chocolate you use. Opt for premium dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content for a rich, intense flavor.
- Use a food processor for smooth dough. To achieve a perfectly smooth chocolate pastry dough, use a food processor to combine your ingredients. This method prevents overmixing and ensures even distribution of the cocoa powder.
- Use an easy-release tartlets pan. We use an easy-release tartlets pan for all of our tart recipes. This makes sure that your tart will be easy to release from the pan.
- Allow proper setting time. Patience is key when making chocolate tarts. Allow your filled tarts to set in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, for the best texture and flavor development.
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