These rich Chocolate Ganache Tartlets are an elegant small dessert for parties, birthdays, holiday dessert tables or afternoon tea. A crisp cacao shortcrust pastry pairs with a deeply flavored dark chocolate ganache to create a simple, indulgent bite-size treat you can make ahead.
Why we love this recipe
Mini chocolate tarts are impressive yet surprisingly easy. The recipe uses a cacao-enriched shortcrust (pâte sablée style) and a two-ingredient ganache, so you get professional flavor with minimal fuss. The tartlets can be prepared in advance and customized—add berries, citrus zest, a sprinkle of sea salt, coffee, or a layer of caramel for variety.
How to make Chocolate Ganache Tartlets
Chocolate Tartlet Crusts
The tartlet shells are a cacao shortcrust pastry—essentially a pâte sablée with added unsweetened cacao powder. Making the dough in a food processor is quick, but you can also rub the butter into the dry ingredients by hand if preferred.
- Step 1: Combine flour, cocoa powder and icing sugar; pulse to remove lumps. Add very cold butter cut into small cubes.
- Step 2: Pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs with no large butter pieces.
- Step 3: Add a whisked egg and pulse just until the dough starts to come together; it should form a ball when pressed.
- Step 4: If too dry, add very cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If too sticky, add a little flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Shape the dough into a disk, chill between baking paper and roll to about 3 mm (1/8 inch) thickness. Chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours) before cutting rounds to line a muffin pan. Press each round gently into the pan, dock the base with a fork and chill again for at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F) and place the muffin pan in the freezer while the oven heats.
- Line each shell with a small piece of baking paper and fill with baking beads, dried beans or rice. Bake 15 minutes, remove weights and paper, then bake another 15 minutes until fully baked. Cool completely.
For step-by-step shaping photos, see the tartlet shells references in the original source.
Dark Chocolate Ganache Filling
The ganache is a simple 1:1 ratio of chopped cooking chocolate and hot heavy cream for a fudgy texture. Use proper baking/cooking chocolate (not eating chocolate) for best melting and setting behavior. A 70% dark chocolate yields an intense filling; use a lower percentage or milk chocolate if you prefer a sweeter result. You can flavor the ganache with vanilla, coffee, sea salt or orange zest.
- Step 1: Finely chop the chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl.
- Step 2: Heat the cream until it just begins to simmer. Pour half the cream over the chocolate and let sit 2–3 minutes.
- Step 3: Stir gently in small circles from the center outward until the cream and chocolate begin to combine. Pour the remaining hot cream over the mixture and stir until smooth and glossy.
- Step 4: Pour the warm ganache into the cooled tartlet shells, tap gently to remove air bubbles, and chill for at least 2 hours to set.
Tips & Troubleshooting
- Rest the pastry after handling for at least 1 hour each time; longer chilling reduces shrinkage and helps the butter firm up so the crust keeps its shape in the oven.
- Use baking weights for the initial bake to avoid excessive puffing. Remove the weights halfway through so the base finishes drying and browning.
- Because the ganache contains no added sugar, the chocolate choice determines sweetness—choose your chocolate accordingly and use good-quality bars for best flavor.
- If a few chocolate chunks remain after mixing, gently finish melting over a double boiler or short bursts in the microwave, stirring frequently to avoid overheating.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Pre-made tartlet shells work well if you prefer to skip making pastry. Chocolate shells may be harder to find, but plain shells will still produce a lovely result.
Use proper cooking/baking chocolate. A 70% dark chocolate gives an intense flavor; choose a lower-percentage dark or milk chocolate for more sweetness. Avoid eating chocolate for melting and baking, as it may not set smoothly.
Finish with a drizzle of melted chocolate and cacao nibs, fresh berries, chocolate shavings, or a light sprinkle of sea salt. Simple garnishes highlight the ganache without overwhelming it.
Storing & Freezing
Store the finished tartlets in the fridge; remove them about one hour before serving so the ganache softens to its ideal fudgy texture. They keep up to 3 days refrigerated, but are best within 24 hours to maintain a crisp crust.
I don’t recommend freezing fully assembled tartlets. The shells can be made ahead and frozen raw or par-baked—if frozen raw, add about 5 minutes to the baking time when baking from frozen for best texture.
More Tartlets Recipes
- Mini Lemon Curd Tartlets
- Strawberry Custard Tartlets
- Pear Frangipane Tartlets
- Orange Tartlets
- Easy Cherry Tartlets with Puff Pastry
- Puff Pastry Apple Tartlets
- Mini Lemon Meringue Tarts
- Mini Fruit Tarts with Pastry Cream
- Salted Caramel Tartlets
- Mini Butterscotch Tartlets
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Recipe
Mini Chocolate Tarts
Ingredients
Chocolate Tart Pastry
- 225 g plain / all-purpose flour
- 20 g unsweetened cacao powder, sifted
- 50 g icing (powdered) sugar
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 120 g unsalted butter, very cold
- 1 egg, at room temperature
Chocolate Ganache Filling
- 200 g dark cooking chocolate (see notes)
- 200 ml heavy / thickened cream
Instructions
Chocolate Tart Pastry
- Place the flour, cacao powder and icing sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add cold butter cut into small cubes and pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
- Add the whisked egg and pulse briefly until the dough begins to hold together when pressed. If needed, add cold water or a little flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to adjust consistency.
- Form the dough into a disk, sandwich between baking paper and roll to about 3 mm (1/8 inch). Chill for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Cut rounds to line a muffin pan, press gently into each cup, dock the base with a fork and chill again for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Place the pan in the freezer while the oven heats. Line each shell with crumpled baking paper and baking beads, beans or rice. Bake 15 minutes, remove weights and paper, then bake another 15 minutes until fully baked. Cool completely.
Chocolate Ganache Filling
- Chop the chocolate finely and place in a heatproof bowl.
- Heat the cream until it begins to simmer. Pour half the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit 2–3 minutes.
- Stir gently in small circular motions until the mixture begins to combine. Pour the remaining cream over it and stir until the ganache is smooth, shiny and fluid.
- Pour the warm ganache into the cooled tartlet shells, tap to remove air bubbles, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set.
Notes
- Use grams/ml for accuracy. This recipe yields about 18 tartlets depending on cutter size.
- Always use cooking/baking chocolate for ganache—eating chocolate may not melt or set properly. Adjust cacao percentage to control sweetness.
- You can make pastry by hand if you don’t have a food processor. If the dough is sticky, dust lightly with flour when rolling.
- If small unmelted chocolate pieces remain after mixing, finish melting over a double boiler or in short microwave bursts (stirring often).
- Remove tartlets from the fridge about 1 hour before serving for the best fudgy ganache texture.