Dark Chocolate Pistachio Tart (Print Version)
Silky dark chocolate ganache in a buttery, crunchy pistachio crust — an elegant French dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pistachio Crust
01 - 3/4 cup shelled unsalted pistachios
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
06 - 1 large egg yolk
→ Dark Chocolate Ganache Filling
07 - 7 ounces dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa), chopped
08 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Garnish
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
12 - Flaky sea salt, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Position the rack in the center of the oven.
02 - Place shelled pistachios in a food processor and pulse until finely ground, being careful not to over-process into a paste.
03 - Add 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 some pea-sized pieces remaining.
05 - Add the egg yolk and pulse until the dough just begins to come together when pinched between your fingers.
06 - Transfer the dough to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press it evenly across the base and up the sides to form a uniform shell.
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. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
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 dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes.
11 - Add the 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 completely 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 the top with chopped pistachios and a light dusting of flaky sea salt. Slice into wedges and serve chilled or at cool room temperature.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The pistachio crust brings a buttery crunch that plain pastry could never achieve on its own.
- Ganache this simple is almost unfairly impressive to serve at dinner parties.
02 -
- Overpulsing the pistachios will give you pistachio butter instead of a dry crumb, so stop while you still have a sandy texture.
- The ganache needs the full three hours to set properly and cutting early will leave you with a delicious but very messy puddle.
03 -
- Chop the chocolate as uniformly as possible so it melts evenly when the hot cream hits it.
- Pressing the crust dough with the bottom of a measuring cup gives you an even, professional looking base.