How to Make Chocolate Tarts 

When you are ready to learn how to make chocolate tart recipes, it can be any kind of chocolate filling poured into a variety of different pastry crusts. Having only a bottom crust, tarts can be made in a large shell or in individual sizes called tartlet recipes. You can use a regular pie crust recipe to the crust if you like.


The tart shells can be baked before pouring in filling or they can be baked with the filling already in; it depends on your recipe.


After mixing the dough, for unbaked tart shells, cut and fit dough into tart pans or muffin pans. Bake as directed by your filling recipe reducing time if tarts are smaller than recipe calls for. For baked tart shells cut pastry large enough to cover inverted tart pans or muffin pans. Fit over inverted pans and trim edges. Prick all over with a fork and chill before baking. Bake in hot oven 450F degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until browned. If bubbles start to appear during early part of baking, prick again with fork. Cool before filling.


When you have learned how to make chocolate tart recipes, these can make a nice ending to a special dinner. Individual tarts using tartlet recipes are extra special and there are different shapes that these can be made. For fluted shells prepare a regular 2 crust pastry recipe. Divide pastry in half and each half in 5 parts. Roll each part into a 5 inch circle; use each circle to line a 3 ½ inch fluted tart pan. Press pastry in bottom and on sides of pan; trim edges. Prick each tart with fork, refrigerate 30 minutes and then bake 12 to 15 minutes or until browned at 450F degrees.


When you have learned how to make chocolate tart recipes or tartlet recipes, they can be made fancy by changing your tart shell. Petal tart shells are very pretty with chocolate filling (or any kind of filling). Roll pastry dough to 1/8 inch thickness. With a 2 ½ inch cookie cutter cut 6 rounds. Using 6 ounce (metal for high heat) custard cups, place 1 circle on the bottom, then arrange 5 circles around the sides overlapping each other; moisten the sides and press firmly to bottom and sides. Prick shell with fork, refrigerate 30 minutes and then bake cups on cookie tray at 450F degrees until golden brown. Cool completely before filling.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE TART RECIPE

Pastry for crust:

  • 1 ¼ Cups flour
  • 1/8 Teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 Cup shortening
  • 4 to 5 Tablespoons cold water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Mix first 3 ingredients together.

Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until all dough is moist.

Knead into a ball; flatten out and roll out to line tart pan.

If you have a pie crust “weight” lay it in the tart shell and bake for about 15 minutes.

(If you do not have a “weight”, use a regular fork and punch holes all over the sides and bottom of shell to keep it from bubbling up a lot.)

When done, remove from oven and reduce temperature to 325 degrees.


Filling:

  • ½ Cup butter
  • 4 Ounces chopped semi sweet chocolate
  • ¾ Cup sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Egg yolk
  • ½ Teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ Cup cream

Melt butter and chocolate in a heavy saucepan over low heat.

Stir in the sugar, eggs, egg yolk and vanilla and mix until smooth.

Stir in the cream and pour into tart pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set.

Remove from oven and cool.

Store in the refrigerator

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TART

This chocolate tart recipe combines the delicious flavor of raspberry with chocolate; one of my favorite combinations.

  • 1 Package (4 ounces) Jell-O vanilla pudding and pie filling
  • 1 ¾ Cup half and half cream
  • 1 Chocolate crust baked in 9 inch tart pan
  • 1 Pint fresh raspberries, cleaned
  • 2 Squares semi sweet chocolate melted

Combine pudding mix and half and half in saucepan; bring to just to a boil while stirring.

Lower heat and stir a couple minutes until thickened; pour into bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Spoon filling into chocolate crust just before serving, arrange raspberries on top and drizzle with melted chocolate.


CHOCOLATE CRUMB CRUST

This chocolate crumb crust can be used with most chocolate tart recipes.

  • 3 Squares semi sweet chocolate
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 Cup graham crackers crumbs

Melt chocolate and butter; stir in cracker crumbs.

Press mixture on bottom and up sides of 9 inch tart pan; freeze for 10 minutes.

Bake for 8 minutes at 375F degrees and set until cool.

LINZER TART RECIPE

The Austrian Linzer chocolate tart recipe is a little different as it has somewhat of a top crust. It is very famous around the world and you probably know it as a cookie. It is actually called a sandwich tart and is made by cutting 2 equal rounds of dough; one with a hole cut in it used for the top. After baking the dough pieces (or cookies) are put together with jam; letting you see the jam through the hole in the top pastry. A larger Linzer tart recipe is also made where you can see the filling through the dough by using a lattice top.

  • 2 Unbaked 9 inch pie crusts
  • 6 Squares semi sweet chocolate
  • ½ Cup softened butter
  • ½ Cup sugar
  • 2 Eggs (1 separated)
  • 1 Cup toasted ground almonds
  • ½ Cup seedless raspberry preserves

Preheat oven to 425F degrees.

Fit 1 unbaked crust into 9 inch tart pan; prick crust with fork.

Bake 5 to 8 minutes until crust begins to brown.

Melt chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter; stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.

Beat remaining butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.

Beat in 1 egg and 1 egg yolk; add almonds and blend in.

Spread mixture evenly over baked crust; top with raspberry preserves.

Cut remaining unbaked pie crust into ½ inch strips; arrange in lattice over preserves.

Beat remaining egg white until foamy and brush over lattice strips.

Bake at 425F degrees for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350F degrees and bake 30 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown.

Cool before cutting.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT TARTLETS

This chocolate tart recipe can be a filling for any of your favorite pastry crust. The filling recipe is enough for eight

  • 2/3 cup pastry lined ramekins.
  • 1 cup whole shelled hazelnuts
  • 3 Large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 Cup light corn syrup
  • ½ Cup granulated sugar
  • 4 Tablespoons unsalted melted butter
  • 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 Cup bittersweet chocolate in ½ inch squares
  • 1/3 Cup milk chocolate in ½ inch squares
  • 1/3 Cup white chocolate in ½ inch squares
  • 8 Unbaked tart shells in ramekins (2/3 cup each)
  • refrigerated until firm

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Spread the nuts on a baking sheet; bake 12 minutes or until nuts blister.

Wrap nuts in a clean towel and rub together to remove most of skins.

Beat eggs in mixing bowl until light; beat in sugar, corn syrup, butter and vanilla until sugar dissolves.

Stir in nuts and chocolates; set tart pans on cookie sheets; spoon in the filling.

Bake tartlets for 30 minutes; cover lightly with foil and bake 15 minutes longer or until filling is bubbling.

Let cool before serving in ramekins.