A rich and indulgent Chocolate Tart made with homemade chocolate shortcrust pastry, smooth and decadent chocolate pastry cream and topped with chopped hazelnuts. The ultimate dessert for chocolate lovers!
Intensely chocolatey, rich, smooth and creamy, this chocolate tart is my absolute favourite.
The crust is made from chocolate pasta frolla (shortcrust pastry) which can also be used to make cookies. It has the best chocolate flavour and is deliciously buttery and crumbly.
It's then filled with our incredible chocolate pastry cream (crema al cioccolato) which is much thicker and stiffer than regular pastry cream so it solidifies in the fridge perfectly for a no-bake tart filling.
The crust or tart base does need to be blind baked first but it's so easy to do. See our full recipe below including step by step photos, tips and helpful video. Buon Appetito!
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Ingredients - what you need
See the photo below that shows you everything you need to make this recipe plus some important tips on ingredients!
- Flour - to make Italian chocoalte pasta frolla use 00 (double zero) flour or alternatively you can use all-purpose flour which will work just as well.
- Cocoa powder - make sure to use a high quality cocoa powder for the best flavour.
- Egg - make sure to use large eggs (we always use free range).
- Butter - make sure it's cold and unsalted.
- Baking powder - helps the pastry puff up slightly.
- Sugar - you can use white or light brown sugar.
- Salt - although this is a sweet recipe, salt really helps enhance all the flavours.
- Chocolate pastry cream (we have a full step by step recipe on making this, it's really quick and easy).
Step by step photos and recipe instructions
Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl then add the rest of the dry ingredients, stir to combine (photo 1 - 3).
Add the egg and butter and cut it into the flour mixture with a spatula or pastry scraper to form a rough crumby texture (photos 4 & 5).
Start to bring the mixture together with your hands to form a dough. Knead the pastry until it becomes a smooth ball (it will seem dry at first but will come together) (photos 6 & 7).
Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour (photo 8).
After the dough is chilled, remove it from the fridge and roll out using a rolling pin until ¼ inch (½ cm) thick.
You'll need to lightly dust your work surface with flour. We used flour mixed with a little cocoa powder to avoid bright white marks but it's not a necessary step. (photos 9 & 10).
Lay the pastry over a tart or pie tin tucking in the sides until it fits evenly. Roll the rolling pin over the tart case to cut the edges (you can also trim the edge with a knife) (photos 11 - 13).
Prick the base with a fork then place back in the fridge for 30 minutes (photo 14).
How to blind-bake
To blind bake the pastry, add the pastry to a tart pan as directed above then place a piece of baking parchment on top. Fill the tart with baking beads or uncooked rice and bake in a preheated oven at 350F/180C for 30 minutes (photos 15 & 16).
Remove from the oven, remove the baking parchment and baking beads and allow to cool.
How to make the filling
Warm the milk in a saucepan then set aside (do not let it boil) Chop up the dark chocolate into small pieces and set aside.
Mix the egg yolks and sugar together in a large bowl until combined then add the cornstarch and mix it thoroughly (photo 17 - 20).
Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg mixture whilst whisking constantly to avoid any lumps (photos 21 & 22).
Once incorporated, pour the egg and milk mixture back into the saucepan and heat it on a low heat (photos 23 & 24).
Stir the mixture constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture is very thick in consistency (about 10 minutes) (photo 25).
Important tip: If at any point you notice the pastry cream getting lumpy, take it off the heat and use a whisk to get rid of any lumps then return to a lower heat.
Once thickened, turn the heat off and add the chopped chocolate. Stir it in until completely melted and incorporated (photos 26-28).
While still warm add the chocolate pastry cream to the tart crust and smooth it out evenly (photo 29).
Top the tart with roughly chopped hazelnuts then allow it to cool completely. Once cooled, let it set in the fridge for at least 6 hours (photo 30).
Recipe tips and FAQs
- If your pastry cracks or splits - shortcrust pastry is crumbly and often breaks when adding it to a tart/pie case. Don't worry this is normal just press the pastry back together.
- Blind baking - it's important when blind baking that you use a weight to keep the pastry flat. If you don't have baking beads you can use uncooked rice.
- Chilling time - the chocolate filling thickens up pretty quickly but cuts better the longer it's chilled. I recommend chilling it in the fridge for at least 6 hours to overnight.
Make sure to use dark chocolate at least 70% cocoa. The chocolate is then sweetened when it's mixed with the pastry cream.
The tart will keep well in the fridge for 4-5 days (make sure to keep it covered).
The tart needs at least 6 hours of chilling time once made so it's the perfect dessert to make in advance.
I don't recommend freezing as custard can split.
Variations
There are a few ways to switch up the flavours here; you could add orange extract or zest to the pastry cream for a chocolate-orange flavour or use mint extract for a mint-chocolate tart.
If you like a salty kick with chocolate then you could top the tart with salted peanuts instead of hazelnuts.
You can also top the tart with fruit like strawberries and raspberries and sprinkle on some powdered (icing) sugar once set.
Don't want to use a chocolate tart crust? Use our classic pasta frolla recipe instead.
More chocolate desserts you might like
- Triple Chocolate Biscotti (Cantucci al Cioccolato)
- Italian Nutella Cookies (Nutellotti)
- Chocolate Salami (Salame di Cioccolato)
- Homemade Nutella - Hazelnut Chocolate Spread
- Chocolate Semifreddo Recipe
- Chocolate Panna Cotta
If you’ve tried this Hazelnut Chocolate Tart or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW US on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST or sign up to our NEWSLETTER to see more of our delicious food
📖 Full Recipe
Chocolate Tart with Hazelnuts
Ingredients
For the chocolate pastry
- 2 cups Italian 00 flour or all-purpose flour (250g)
- 3 tablespoon cocoa powder (30g)
- ½ cup caster sugar golden or white (80g)
- 8.5 tablespoon cold butter cubed (120g)
- 1 large egg
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
For the filling
- 5 large egg yolks
- â…“ cup sugar (70g)
- ¼ cup cornstarch (30g)
- 2.5 cups full-fat milk (590ml)
- 5.5 oz dark chocolate 70%+ cocoa solids (150g)
- ½ cup hazelnuts roughly chopped
Equipment
- 9 inch (23cm) loose bottom tart dish
Instructions
To make the pastry
- Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl then add the rest of the dry ingredients, stir to combine.
- Add the egg and butter and cut it into the flour mixture with a spatula or pastry scraper to form rough crumbs.
- Start to bring the mixture together with your hands to form a dough. Knead the pastry until all the flour is fully absorbed and it becomes a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour.
- After the dough is chilled, remove it from the fridge and roll out using a rolling pin until ¼ inch (½ cm) thick. You'll need to lightly dust your work surface with flour. We used flour mixed with a little cocoa powder (don't use cocoa powder on its own) to avoid bright white marks but it's not a necessary step.
- Lay the pastry over a tart or pie tin tucking in the sides until it fits evenly. Roll the rolling pin over the tart case to cut the edges (you can also trim the edge with a knife).
- Prick the base with a fork then place back in the fridge for 30 minutes.
To blind-bake
- To blind bake the pastry, add the pastry to a tart pan as directed above then place a piece of scrunched up baking parchment oven the tart/pie case. Top with baking beads or uncooked rice and bake in a preheated oven at 350F/180C for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, remove the baking parchment and baking beads and allow to cool.
To make the filling
- Warm the milk in a saucepan then set aside (do not let it boil) Chop up the dark chocolate into small pieces and set aside..
- Mix the egg yolks and sugar together in a large bowl until combined then add the cornstarch and mix it thoroughly.
- Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg mixture whilst whisking constantly to avoid any lumps.
- Once incorporated, pour the egg and milk mixture back into the saucepan and heat it on a low heat.
- Stir the mixture constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture is very thick in consistency (about 10 minutes).
- Important tip: If at any point you notice the pastry cream getting lumpy, take it off the heat and use a whisk to get rid of any lumps then return to a lower heat.
- Once thickened, turn the heat off and add the chopped chocolate. Stir it in until completely melted and incorporated.
Assemble
- Pour the chocolate pastry cream into the tart case/crust and smooth out with a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Top with roughly chopped hazelnuts then let it cool. Once cooled place in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight to set.
Notes
- Size of tart dish - I used a 9 inch (23cm) loose bottom tart dish.
- If your pastry cracks or splits - shortcrust pastry is crumbly and often breaks when adding it to a tart/pie case. Don't worry this is normal just press the pastry back together.
- Blind baking - it's important when blind baking that you use a weight to keep the pastry flat. If you don't have baking beads you can use uncooked rice.
- Chilling time - the chocolate filling thickens up pretty quickly but cuts better the longer it's chilled. I recommend chilling it in the fridge for at least 6 hours to overnight.
- Storage and freezing - the chocolate tart will keep well in the fridge for 4-5 days, make sure to keep it covered. I don't recommend freezing as custard can split.
Nutrition
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Sonja
What size tart dish did you use? There was no mention in your notes.
Emily
Ahh sorry! I used a 23cm (9 inch) loose bottom tart dish.