DARK CHOCOLATE PISTACHIO TART Recipe

As a professional food blogger, I perfected a dark chocolate pistachio tart with an ingenious Pistachio Dessert twist and a secret technique you’ll want to read about.

I love the way dark chocolate melts into a tart shell, and this Dark Chocolate Pistachio Tart did exactly what my dessert dreams had promised. I used dark chocolate and finely ground unsalted pistachios so the flavor is intense, a little bitter and nutty at once.

It’s the kind of Pistachio Dessert that stops conversations, makes you reach for your phone to snap one more pic before you eat it. I kept imagining it sitting under a Patisserie Vegan header on a stylish site.

It’s fancy looking but doable. You’ll want to hide it in the fridge, trust me.

Ingredients

• Pistachios add a nutty crunch, protein and healthy fats, plus fiber and vibrant color.
• Dark chocolate gives rich bittersweet flavor, antioxidants and a touch of natural sweetness.
• Flour provides structure and carbs, it keeps the crust together but not much fiber.
• Butter adds richness and tenderness, lots of saturated fat so use with balance.
• Confectioners sugar makes it sweet and smooth, dissolves fast, little nutritional value though.
• Cream gives the filling a silky texture, lots of fat for mouthfeel and shine.
• Sea salt cuts sweetness and boosts flavor, a tiny sprinkle makes everything pop.

Ingredient Quantities

• For the crust: 1 cup (120 g) all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (60 g) finely ground unsalted pistachios, plus extra for topping
• 1/4 cup (30 g) confectioners sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 8 tablespoons (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 to 2 tablespoons ice water, if needed
• For the filling: 8 ounces (225 g) dark chocolate, finely chopped (70 percent cacao recommended)
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch fine salt
• For garnish: 1/3 cup roughly chopped roasted pistachios
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil like grapeseed or vegetable oil, optional for extra shine

How to Make this

1. Make the crust: in a bowl or food processor combine the all purpose flour, finely ground pistachios, confectioners sugar and salt, then cut in the cold cubed butter until the mix looks like coarse crumbs with some pea sized pieces left, add the egg yolk and pulse or mix just until it starts to come together, add 1 to 2 tablespoons ice water only if the dough feels too dry.

2. Form the dough into a flat disk, wrap it and chill in the fridge at least 30 minutes so the butter firms up, this helps it keep a flaky texture.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll the chilled dough between sheets of parchment to about 1/8 inch thick and fit into a 9 inch tart pan (or similar), press into corners and trim the excess, chill the lined pan in the fridge 15 minutes to relax the dough.

4. Dock the bottom with a fork, line the tart shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans, blind bake for about 15 to 18 minutes until the edges look set.

5. Carefully remove the parchment and weights and bake another 6 to 8 minutes until the crust is light golden, let cool on a rack while you make the filling.

6. Chop the dark chocolate finely and put it in a heatproof bowl, heat the heavy cream until it just begins to simmer, pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 to 2 minutes so the chocolate softens.

7. Stir the chocolate and cream gently until smooth and glossy, then stir in the 2 tablespoons room temp butter, vanilla extract, a pinch of salt and the optional tablespoon of neutral oil for extra shine.

8. Pour the ganache into the cooled tart shell, smooth the top, sprinkle the roughly chopped roasted pistachios over the surface and scatter a little flaky sea salt.

9. Chill the tart in the fridge until the filling is fully set, about 2 hours or overnight for best results, then let it sit at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes before slicing so the cuts are clean.

10. Store in the fridge up to 3 days, bring slices to near room temp before serving for the richest flavor.

Equipment Needed

1. Food processor or a large mixing bowl plus a pastry cutter or two forks for cutting the cold butter into the flour
2. Digital kitchen scale and measuring cups and spoons for accurate amounts
3. Mixing spatula and a wooden spoon for stirring the ganache and folding the dough
4. Rolling pin and sheets of parchment paper for rolling the chilled dough evenly
5. 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom and a baking sheet to catch any spills
6. Fork for docking and pie weights or dried beans for blind baking
7. Heatproof bowl and a small saucepan for heating the cream and making the ganache, or a microwave safe measuring cup
8. Sharp knife and a cutting board for chopping the chocolate and pistachios
9. Cooling rack plus plastic wrap or cling film for chilling and storing the tart

FAQ

DARK CHOCOLATE PISTACHIO TART Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Finely ground unsalted pistachios (for the crust): swap for almond meal or hazelnut meal, same amount; you wont get that pistachio punch but the texture is close enough.
• Confectioners sugar: pulse granulated sugar in a blender until powdery and add 1 tbsp cornstarch per cup to prevent clumping, or use powdered erythritol 1:1 for a low sugar option.
• Heavy cream (for the filling): use full fat canned coconut milk 1:1 for a dairy free version, or approximate heavy cream by mixing 3/4 cup whole milk with 1/4 cup melted butter if you need to make it from pantry staples.
• Dark chocolate: swap with semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, same weight; semisweet will make the tart sweeter so expect a milder bitter edge.

Pro Tips

1. Pulse the pistachios with the dry ingredients instead of grinding them alone, that way they stay a little coarse and wont turn into oily paste. If they start to look greasy stop, add a spoon of flour and pulse a few more times.

2. Freeze the fitted tart shell for 10 to 15 minutes right after you trim it, it helps stop shrinking in the oven. Use chilled weights or dried beans so the crust keeps its shape better.

3. For super smooth ganache chop the chocolate very fine and heat the cream just to a simmer, dont let it boil. If the ganache looks grainy at first, try whisking gently from the center outward or add a tablespoon of warm cream and stir till it calms down.

4. Toast the chopped pistachios briefly and let them cool before sprinkling, it makes the flavor pop. Wait to add the flaky salt until right before serving so the crystals stay crunchy and bright.

5. For clean slices warm the knife under hot water, dry it, slice and wipe the blade between cuts. Also let the tart sit a little at room temp before cutting so the ganache isnt rock hard, you’ll get neater pieces.