A luscious and intense chocolate tart studded with raspberries. The crust is crisp, and the truffle filling is smooth and sweetly tart from the berries. It is sophisticated enough to serve at a dinner party and can be made into individual tartlets.
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This is a fancy French-style chocolate tart with raspberries. It is a decadent dessert for a special occasion like Valentine's Day, no doubt.
Tarts are shorter than pies, with less filling and usually a sweeter, snappier crust.
The first time I made this was for Christmas many years ago (I live in Buenos Aires, so it was summer), and it was so hot I was concerned it would start to melt. Nothing like that happened, and I decided it was my favorite chocolate tart from that moment on.
If you love chocolate, this dessert is good. So good, it's great.
Why make this recipe
- Easy filling: it takes 10 minutes and it's very simple.
- French tart dough: it's less complex than the regular American pie recipe and, in my opinion, more forgiving. And the dough itself can be made ahead.
- Showstopper dessert: it will woo everyone and is sophisticated enough to serve for a dinner party or a casual gathering.
- A sliver goes a long way: it's rich and indulgent, so it can be stretched to serve up to ten if the situation calls for it. I made it in a square tart pan (like the strawberry cream tart) and got many servings. A perfect bite after a full dinner.
- Flavor combination: chocolate and berries are fantastic together! And this recipe is no exception.
Ingredient list
It has few ingredients, so use the best quality you can afford.
- All-purpose flour.
- Unsalted butter.
- Powdered sugar: also called confectioners' sugar.
- Salt.
- Chocolate: use your favorite dark semi-sweet chocolate for this recipe. I love Callebaut 54% dark chocolate callets and Ghirardelli Chocolate Dark Bar 60%.
- Cream: use regular, full-fat like double or heavy cream. They are richer and smoother.
- Milk: whole will make the filling richer and is my first choice, but you can use reduced-fat milk.
- Raspberries: I use fresh whenever I can, but frozen berries also work and are available year-round.
- Eggs: fresh, large.
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
The tart crust
This recipe calls for a classic tart dough (sweet shortcrust pastry or French Pâte Sucrée) that is sweeter and crisper than the type used for American pies.
It is easy to handle, can be frozen, made ahead, and stands up well with most tart fillings. The pairing of chocolate and raspberry works wonderfully with it.
- Pricking: the bottom is pricked with a fork (image below) to help avoid puffiness when baking due to the trapped air.
- Blind-baking the dough: this means pre-baking it. This step creates a layer between the pie crust and the filling to prevent it from becoming soggy. Find detailed instructions and photos for how to blind-bake a tart crust.
- Tart pans (or quiche pans) have a removable bottom and shorter sides than traditional pie dishes.
Type of chocolate
The chocolate you use will be strongly felt in this filling, affecting the overall chocolate flavor. The % I talk about here is the amount of cocoa solids chocolate has. The higher the number, the more bitter the chocolate.
- For a very intense flavor, use 60% to 70% dark or semi-sweet chocolates like Ghirardelli Chocolate Dark Bar 60%, Green & Black's dark chocolate 70%, and Ghirardelli 72% intense dark chocolate. The higher the percentage of cocoa, the less sweet the chocolate.
- For a milder but still intense flavor, you might want a less bitter one such as Callebaut 54% chocolate callets. This is my choice. Semisweet chocolate chips like Ghirardelli also work very well.
- For a sweeter flavor: use half milk chocolate together with semisweet.
Variations & substitutions
- Chocolate crust: use a chocolate pie crust instead of the regular tart dough.
- Quick crumb crust: use the traditional graham cracker crust. It makes for a very easy-to-put-together dessert.
- Raspberry jam: spread a thin layer in the bottom of the crust before adding the chocolate custard. It'll add flavor and sweetness. Raspberry preserves also work, but they're chunkier.
- Berries: use a mix of red berries, blackberries or strawberries instead of raspberries.
- Citrus and liquor: add orange/tangerine zest and a tablespoon of orange liquor (such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier) to the filling, and use toasted walnuts or hazelnuts instead of the raspberries.
- Vanilla extract: add ½ a teaspoon to the ganache for a mellower flavor.
- Individual tart shells: instead of a large tart, make small ones as we do with the black forest tartlets.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Storing: keep leftovers in the refrigerator, always well covered in plastic wrap to prevent dryness.
- Fresh or frozen raspberries? Though both can work, fresh ones are a much better option, and I highly recommend them as they won't add excess water, which makes for a much better tart filling.
Steps to make the chocolate filling
The filling is very simple to prepare. It's a smooth chocolate ganache enriched with eggs, yolks, and milk to lighten it up.
Making the ganache
- Chopped chocolate: make sure the pieces are small. This way, they will melt easily when the hot cream is added.
- Heat the cream just until bubbles appear, which signals it's about to break into a boil. Then, immediately pour it over the chocolate. The hot liquid will melt the chocolate enough to mix into a smooth cream but not so much as to burn it. That is the key.
- Microwave: you can heat the cream in the microwave, of course. Be careful it doesn't spill, which can sometimes be tricky.
To the chocolate ganache, add the milk to lighten the preparation.
Stir in the eggs (don't beat) for a rich and creamy truffle-like chocolate filling.
Assemble the tart
Use a large jug or container with a tip: this is the easiest way to distribute the ganache.
Scatter the raspberries in the partially baked tart crust.
Should the berries completely fill the crust? No, they shouldn't. You might find that you have leftover chocolate filling, or if you use all of it, it will overflow.
Carefully pour the chocolate mixture. It should cover it.
Move the jar around as you pour, so you cover the whole surface. It will level out while baking but not too much. So make sure the raspberries are as evenly covered and distributed as possible before the tart goes into the oven.
Do you see how insanely good this tart looks even while making it? Just pouring that luscious filling is enough to make my chocolate soul happy.
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French Chocolate Tart with Raspberries
Ingredients
- 1 recipe for Sweet Shortcrust Pastry, or a store-bought 9-inch (24cm) prebaked tart shell
For the filling:
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (see ganache notes, below)
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 10 ounces raspberries, fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Have ready the pre-baked tart crust (blind baked).
- Put the chopped chocolate in a medium mixing bowl.
- Heat the cream in a small saucepan until very hot but don't let it come to a boil. You can also heat it in the microwave, being careful not to burn it.
- Immediately pour over the chocolate, covering it, wait 30 seconds and then start stirring with a whisk from the center out. The mixture will come together and be shiny and smooth.
- Add the milk and mix well. This will lower the temperature before adding the eggs.
- Add the egg and egg yolk. Stir well but don't beat. We don't want to incorporate air.
- Distribute the fresh berries on the bottom of the tart shell.
- Carefully pour the chocolate mixture over the raspberries, being careful not to move them much. I transfer it to a jar for easier pouring and highly recommend it.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, until the edges are set but the center barely jiggles. For it to be creamy it's important not to let the center set too much.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Cover and refrigerate it for an hour or more before serving.
- Serve at room temperature with extra raspberries and a dollop of whipped cream if you like.
Wendy Hodgson says
I've made this a few times now and my dinner guests are always impressed and blown away by the lushness of it!
Ruth says
Can this tart be frozen? I will use fresh raspberries. Thank you.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Ruth! I never frozen it, so I . However, I have frozen baked ganache tarts without the berries. It's not exactly the same, sometimes the texture changes a little after thawing, but it does hold. You can serve the fresh berries on top.
holly says
hi. can i make this tart a couple if days in advance and keep in the fridge?
thanks!
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Holly, I don't recommend more than 2 days in advance as the filling starts to dry even when the tart is well wrapped. Always refrigerate it well covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
Wendy says
This is an amazing chocolate tart. I made it for guests and most had second servings! Best dessert I have served by a country mile.
Teodora says
If I have frozen raspberries, do I need to defrost them first ?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Teodora, I never made this tart with frozen berries but use them frozen for a lot of other recipes. That said, I would use them directly from the freezer unless they have been there a long time and have a lot of ice around them. In that case, I would let them thaw until that extra liquid disappears.
kim says
This was so delicious and way easier than I thought it would be! Will definitely be making again for V-day!
Kelly Anthony says
This chocolate raspberry tart looks so rich and sophisticated perfect for serving at any gathering. This tart is sure to impress any guests!