Chocolate Tart with Coffee Candied Almonds is an Italian inspired dessert with chocolate ganache, almond crust and sweet crunchy coffee coated almond garnish!
A crostata-inspired coffee dessert with smooth espresso-studded chocolate ganache filling and a toasty almond crust. Serve thin slices with a cup of espresso and wow your friends and family!
Chocolate tart recipe
Inspired by Italian crostata al cioccolato or crostata alla Nutella this chocolate tart recipe has an almond short pastry tart crust filled with creamy rich chocolate ganache and finished with coffee candy coated roasted almonds.
Ingredients
- Semi sweet chocolate chips– or substitute chopped dark chocolate.
- Coffee – or fresh espresso, if available. Used in both the coffee candied almonds and splashed into the ganache filling to add depth of flavor.
- Almonds – or hazelnuts would be a great substitute to play up the Nutella inspiration even more.
- Almond flour – also called almond meal. If unavailable, substitute freshly ground almonds or equal parts additional all purpose flour.
- All purpose flour – for the tart shell.
- Heavy cream – used in both the chocolate ganache tart filling and the tart shell crust.
- Salted butter – both room temperature, for the filling, and chilled, for the crust.
- Large eggs – a few whole eggs for the filling and an egg yolk for the crust, room temperature.
- Confectioners sugar – sweetens the tart shell and gives it a crumbly texture.
- Granulated sugar – used in the candied almonds.
Step by step instructions
- Make almond tart crust dough from butter, almond flour, flour, confectioners sugar, heavy cream and an egg yolk.
- Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a large tart pan with removable bottom.
- Parbake the crust until lightly golden then cool while preparing the chocolate ganache filling from chopped chocolate, heavy cream and coffee (or espresso!) whisked until smooth and combined with room temperature butter and a few eggs.
- Pour the chocolate ganache filling mixture into the cooled almond crust. If you had any remaining almond crust, make strips to zig zag over the top of the filling.
- Place in preheated oven and bake until ganache filling is set, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile make coffee candied almonds by boiling whole almonds with a hot coffee and sugar mixture until all the liquid evaporates leaving behind a sweet crispy candy coating.
- When ready to serve remove the sides from tart pan and set on a serving plate. Sprinkle with chopped coffee candied almonds, cut into small wedges and serve.
What to use instead of a tart pan
Don’t let not having a tart pan with removable bottom stop you from baking this delicious tart! Traditional Italian chocolate crostata recipes, like this one is based on, are baked free-form like french galettes. You can make a similar free form version in a pie pan. Or make make mini chocolate tarts in smaller tart pans, if you have them, or a muffin tin.
How to decorate
Decorate tart as shown with coffee candied almonds and zig zagging strips of pastry crust lattice. Fresh raspberries and/or strawberries and mint leaves would also make nice garnishes.
How to serve
Serve slices of chocolate tart as-is. Or top with a dollop of with freshly whipped cream or sweetened marscarpone cheese. And serve with a steaming hot cup of coffee or fresh espresso.
How to store
Once cooled chocolate tart can be stored at room temperature, wrapped with plastic wrap, for a few days. Or if you prefer to serve slightly chilled store refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Or freeze the entire chocolate tart, or individual slices, and store frozen up to 3 months.
Ingredients
Almond Tart Shell
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2/3 cup confectioners sugar
- 1/4 cup salted butter 8 tablespoons or 1 stick, chilled, cut into cubes
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream chilled
Chocolate Ganache Filling
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup brewed coffee or fresh espresso
- 1/4 cup salted butter room temperature
- 2 large eggs
Coffee Candied Almonds
- 1 cup whole almonds
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brewed coffee or fresh espresso
Instructions
- Combine almond flour, all-purpose flour, and confectioners sugar in a large bowl or food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Add the egg yolk and heavy cream and process just until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- On a lightly floured surface roll chilled pastry into a 12-inch (30-cm) circle. Carefully transfer to a 10-inch (25-cm) round tart pan with a removable bottom. Gently press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Trim the overhang by gently rolling pin over the fluted edge. Use scraps to fill in as needed and save extra dough for garnish. Refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to overnight).
- Preheat the oven to 375° F (180° C). Remove the tart shell from the refrigerator. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork. Bake until the edges are just beginning to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Leave the oven on.
- Meanwhile make the chocolate ganache filling. Measure chopped chocolate or chocolate chips into a large heat safe bowl. In a saucepan over medium high heat combine 1 cup heavy cream and 1/3 cup coffee or espresso just until simmering. Then pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let mixture sit untouched at least 2 minutes. Then stir until the mixture is dark, glossy, smooth and all the chocolate has melted. Once smooth, whisk in room temperature butter and eggs.
- Pour the chocolate ganache filling mixture into the cooled almond crust. If you had any remaining almond crust, make strips to zig zag over the top of the filling.
- Place in preheated oven and bake until ganache filling is set, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile make coffee candied almonds. Combine coffee and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat, add almonds and carefully stir constantly while liquid evaporates. When starting to take on a sandy texture, remove from heat and spread out on parchment paper lined sheet pan, separating the bunches with two forks if desired. Sprinkle with sea salt and allow to cool.
- When ready to serve remove the sides from the pan and set the chocolate tart on a serving plate. Sprinkle with chopped coffee candied almonds, cut into small wedges and serve.
Nutrition
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