Dark Chocolate Pistachio Tart (Printable Version)
Silky dark chocolate ganache in a buttery pistachio crust — an elegant French dessert for any occasion.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pistachio Crust
01 - 4.2 oz shelled unsalted pistachios
02 - 4.2 oz all-purpose flour
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon 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 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
09 - 1 oz unsalted butter, diced
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Decoration
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
12 - Flaky sea salt to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Place rack in center position.
02 - Add shelled pistachios to a food processor and pulse until finely ground, being careful not to over-process into a paste.
03 - Add all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and salt to the ground pistachios. Pulse several times until evenly combined.
04 - Add cold, cubed butter to the food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces throughout.
05 - Add the egg yolk and pulse just until the dough begins to clump together when pinched between your fingers.
06 - Transfer the dough to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press it firmly and evenly across the base and up the sides using your fingertips or the back of a measuring cup.
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 the edges are lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pan.
09 - Pour heavy cream into a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, watching carefully so it does not boil over.
10 - Place chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes to soften.
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 completely smooth, glossy, and free of streaks.
12 - Pour the ganache into the fully cooled tart shell. Use an offset spatula to smooth the surface into an even layer.
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 light pinch of flaky sea salt over the top just before serving. Slice into 8 even wedges with a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between cuts.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The pistachio crust tastes like something you would find in a tiny Parisian shop, nutty and buttery and impossible to stop eating on its own.
- The ganache sets into this impossibly silky layer that melts the second it hits your tongue, making everyone at the table go quiet for a moment.
- It looks like it took all day but most of the time is just waiting for it to chill while you do other things.
02 -
- If you overwork the dough it will shrink dramatically during baking, so handle it gently and press rather than knead.
- The ganache must cool completely before you pour it or it will soften the crust and create a soggy bottom that no amount of decoration can hide.
- This tart actually tastes better on the second day when the flavors have had time to settle and the crust has absorbed just a hint of chocolate moisture.
03 -
- Toast the pistachios in a dry pan for five minutes before grinding them because the warmth releases oils that make the crust taste deeply nutty rather than flat.
- When stirring the ganache, use a spatula and gentle folding motions rather than whisking, because aggression introduces air bubbles that leave you with a cloudy surface instead of a mirror smooth one.