Dark Chocolate Pistachio Tart (Printable)
Silky dark chocolate ganache in a crunchy buttery pistachio crust — an elegant French dessert for any occasion.
# What You Need:
→ Pistachio Crust
01 - 4.2 oz shelled unsalted pistachios
02 - 4.2 oz all-purpose flour
03 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
04 - 1/4 tsp salt
05 - 3 oz unsalted butter, cold and cubed
06 - 1 large egg yolk
→ Dark Chocolate Ganache Filling
07 - 7 oz dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa), chopped
08 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp heavy cream
09 - 1 oz unsalted butter, diced
10 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ Decoration
11 - 2 tbsp chopped pistachios
12 - Flaky sea salt to taste
# How To Cook:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Position rack in the center of the oven.
02 - Place pistachios in a food processor and pulse until finely ground, being careful not to over-process into a paste.
03 - Add flour, sugar, and salt to the ground pistachios. Pulse several times until evenly combined.
04 - Add cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
05 - Add egg yolk and pulse until the dough begins to come together in clumps when pressed between your fingers.
06 - Press the dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable base, ensuring uniform thickness throughout.
07 - Refrigerate the shaped 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 prevent air bubbles. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
09 - Pour heavy cream into a small saucepan and warm over medium heat until it just begins to simmer around the edges. Do not boil.
10 - Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit undisturbed for 2 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt.
11 - Add diced butter and vanilla extract to the bowl. Stir gently in small circular motions starting from the center outward until the ganache is smooth, glossy, and fully emulsified.
12 - Pour the ganache into the 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 firmly set and no longer jiggles when gently shaken.
14 - Sprinkle chopped pistachios and a pinch of flaky sea salt over the top just before serving. Slice with a sharp knife warmed under hot water for clean edges.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The pistachio crust alone is worth making this for, it shatters like shortbread and tastes deeply nutty in a way no plain crust ever could.
- The ganache sets into something so silky it borders on obscene, and you only need one pan and one bowl to pull it off.
02 -
- If your kitchen is warm, the crust dough will soften fast, so work quickly when pressing it into the pan and dont skip the fridge rest.
- When pouring hot cream over chocolate, resist the urge to stir immediately, those 2 minutes of waiting are what prevent grainy ganache.
03 -
- Toast the pistachios in a dry pan for 5 minutes before grinding them, the warmth releases oils that make the crust taste twice as nutty.
- Run your knife under hot water and wipe it dry between slices for perfectly clean cuts through the ganache.