Dark Chocolate Pistachio Tart (Printable Version)
Silky dark chocolate ganache in a crunchy pistachio crust. An elegant French dessert for any occasion.
# What You Need:
→ Pistachio Crust
01 - 4.2 oz shelled unsalted pistachios
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
05 - 3 oz unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
06 - 1 large egg yolk
→ Dark Chocolate Ganache Filling
07 - 7 oz dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa), finely chopped
08 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
09 - 1 oz unsalted butter, diced
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Garnish
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
12 - Flaky sea salt, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Position the rack in the center of the oven.
02 - Place the shelled pistachios in a food processor and pulse until finely ground, being careful not to over-process into a paste.
03 - Add the flour, granulated sugar, and salt to the ground pistachios. Pulse several times until evenly combined.
04 - Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
05 - Add the egg yolk and pulse just until the dough begins to come together in clumps. Do not overwork.
06 - Transfer the dough to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press firmly and evenly across the base and up the sides to form a uniform crust.
07 - Refrigerate the pressed crust for 20 minutes to firm up the butter and prevent shrinking during baking.
08 - Prick the chilled crust several times with a fork to allow steam to escape. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
09 - Pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan and warm over medium heat until it just begins to simmer around the edges. Do not let it boil.
10 - Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes to soften.
11 - Add the diced butter and vanilla extract to the bowl. Stir gently in small circular motions starting from the center until the ganache is smooth, glossy, and fully emulsified.
12 - Pour the ganache into the completely cooled tart shell. Use an offset spatula to smooth the surface evenly.
13 - Refrigerate the tart for at least 3 hours, or until the ganache is firm to the touch and set throughout.
14 - Sprinkle the top with chopped pistachios and a light pinch of flaky sea salt. Slice into wedges and serve chilled or at cool room temperature.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The pistachio crust tastes like something you would find in a Parisian bakery window, but it comes together in a food processor with almost no effort.
- That ganache is impossibly silky and sets into a firm, fudgy slice that looks far more complicated than it actually is.
02 -
- If the ganache looks split or greasy, it probably got too hot. Gentle stirring from the center usually brings it back together, but patience is key.
- Overbaking the crust by even a few minutes will make it bitter and hard to cut through. Pull it when the edges are just golden.
03 -
- Freeze the tart for 20 minutes before slicing if you want perfectly clean, bakery style edges that will impress anyone at the table.
- The quality of your chocolate determines the quality of this tart. Spend a little extra on a brand you would eat by the square.