This chocolate cherry tart features a chocolate shortbread cookie crust, chocolate ganache filling, cherry curd filling, and a chocolate glaze. Garnished with piped whipped cream, freeze dried cherry powder, chocolate shavings, and edible cherry glitter. Tastes equally amazing as it looks.
This is a four component tart. Crust, two fillings, and a glaze. The crust can be made in advance of tart construction.
The chocolate ganache filling needs to be prepared and used immediately. The tart at this point can be stored uncovered at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
The cherry curd filling is best used immediately, however it can be covered, refrigerated, and reheated to liquid form.
The chocolate glaze needs to be used immediately for best results.
I chilled the tart before garnishing. I was more comfortable piping the whipped cream dots onto a solid glaze. Once the tart is garnished it can be refrigerated uncovered for several hours.
Why You Should Make This Tart
- its gorgeous.
- the cherry + chocolate pairing is a classic and delicious.
- the tart dough and crust can be made well in advance of tart construction.
- the cherry curd may be made in advance and reheated when needed.
How To Make This Chocolate Cherry Tart
The chocolate shortbread crust
Chocolate shortbread cookies are ground into crumbs using a food processor. The cookie crumbs are combined with melted butter and a pinch of salt. The cookie crumb mixture is pressed into the bottom of a long rectangular tart pan. The cookie crumb base is lined with a piece pf parchment paper and filled with pie weights or dried beans. The crust is baked for 15 minutes to firm the crust. The weights are removed and the crust baked for an additional 5 minutes.
The chocolate ganache base layer
Once the crust has cooled completely, heavy cream is brought to a boil and removed from the heat. Espresso powder is stirred in and the hot cream is poured over finely chopped chocolate. The chocolate and cream are set aside for a moment to allow the cream to melt the chocolate. The mixture is stirred until completely combined, smooth and glossy.
One beaten egg, a splash of vanilla and a pinch of sea salt are stirred into the warm chocolate. The chocolate ganache is poured into the cooled shell, covering the bottom completely and coming about halfway up the sides of the tart. The tart is baked for 25 minutes to set the ganache.
The tart is cooled completely.
The cherry curd layer
Fresh cherries are blended with sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice. The mixture is transferred to a small sauce pan. Milk and cornstarch are stirred in. The mixture is brought to a gentle boil over medium heat.
Agar agar powder is added to the saucepan and whisked for 2 minutes to activate the gelling agent.
The cherry curd is strained into a small bowl and the smooth liquid curd is poured over the cooled chocolate ganache.
The chocolate glaze
Heavy cream is brought to a gentle boil. Finely chopped dark chocolate is added to the cream. The mixture is stirred until smooth and well combined. Light corn syrup and water are added to the chocolate mix and stirred until completely incorporated.
The glaze is poured over the cooled cherry curd.
The tart is cooled completely.
The garnish
Cold heavy cream is beaten to stiff peaks. A small amount of powdered sugar is beaten with the cream to lightly sweeten it. The whipped cream is piped in small circles over the chocolate glaze.
Chocolate shavings, freeze dried cherry powder and edible red glitter are sprinkled over the top of the tart.
Other Tartistry Tart Recipes You Might Enjoy
A few of our most popular tart recipes include apple cider tart, pumpkin maple rum tart, ginger lime tart, pear apple tart, and apricot frangipane tart.
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Chocolate Cherry Tart
Equipment
- 1 (4 x 14-inch) removable bottom tart pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Shortbread Crust:
- 280 grams chocolate shortbread cookies (10 ounces)
- 42 grams unsalted butter (3 tablespoons), melted
- 1 gram fine sea salt (1/4 teaspoon)
Chocolate Ganache Filling:
- 150 grams heavy cream (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 3 grams espresso powder (1 teaspoon)
- 140 grams finely chopped dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips (5 ounces)
- 50 grams egg (1 large), beaten
- 5 grams vanilla bean paste or extract (1 teaspoon)
- 1 gram fine sea salt (1/4 teaspoon)
Cherry Curd:
- 350 grams pitted cherries (3 cups)
- 12 grams granulated sugar (1 tablespoon)
- 1 gram ground cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon)
- 15 grams fresh lemon juice (1 tablespoon)
- 120 grams whole milk (1/2 cup)
- 12 grams cornstarch (1-1/2 tablespoons)
- 1 gram agar agar (1/2 teaspoon)
Chocolate Glaze:
- 45 grams heavy cream (3 tablespoons)
- 56 grams finely chopped dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips (2 ounces)
- 7 grams light corn syrup (1 teaspoon)
- 15 grams warm water (1 tablespoon)
Garnish:
- 80 grams heavy cream (1/3 cup), chilled
- 3 grams powdered sugar (1 teaspoon)
- 1 tablespoon dark chocolate shavings
- 1 tablespoon freeze dried cherry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon edible cherry glitter
Instructions
Chocolate Shortbread Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add chocolate shortbread cookies to food processor. Process to fine crumbs. Add melted butter and fine sea salt to food processor and pulse until the mix is well combined.
- Transfer cookie crumb mixture to 4 x 14-inch removable bottom tart pan. Press crumbs into bottom and sides of tart pan.
- Line tart pan with parchment paper. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake tart shell in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Carefully lift parchment out of tart pan. Return tart pan to oven and bake for 5 additional minutes to firm bottom.
- Remove tart crust from oven and cool completely.
Chocolate Ganache Filling:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add heavy cream to saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Remove saucepan from the heat and stir in espresso powder.
- Add finely chopped chocolate to small bowl. Pour the hot cream over chocolate. Let it set for 3 minutes. Stir until smooth and well combined.
- Add beaten egg and stir until egg has been fully incorporated.
- Add vanilla bean paste and fine sea salt. Stir until incorporated. Mixture should be smooth and glossy.
- Pour chocolate ganache into cooled tart crust. Make sure the ganache is evenly spread across the bottom, in the corners, and about half way up the sides of the baked crust.
- Bake the tart in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
Cherry Curd:
- Add pitted cherries, granulated sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice to food processor or blender. Process or blend until its almost smooth.
- Transfer cherry mixture to small saucepan. Add whole milk and cornstarch to saucepan. Stir to combine.
- Simmer cherry mixture over medium low until it begins to gently boil and thicken.
- Add agar agar powder to saucepan. Whisk continuously for 2 minutes.
- Remove from stovetop. Pour into strainer over small mixing bowl.
- Immediately pour over cooled chocolate ganache layer.
- Set aside to cool completely.
Chocolate Glaze:
- Add heavy cream to small bowl. Bring to boil in microwave oven.
- Add finely chopped dark chocolate to hot heavy cream. Stir until smooth and glossy.
- Add light corn syrup and water. Stir until well incorporated and mixture is smooth.
- Pour glaze over cooled cherry curd. Carefully tilt pan slightly to get glaze into corners and edges.
- Cool to room temperature.
- Tart can be chilled in refrigerator uncovered for several hours to overnight.
Garnish:
- Add heavy cream to stand mixer. Using whip attachment beat to stiff peaks. Add powdered sugar and beat long enough to combine.
- Pipe small dots of whipped cream on surface of tart.
- Sprinkle chocolate shavings, freeze dried cherry powder, and edible cherry glitter over tart.
Serve:
- Tart is best served sightly chilled up to room temperature (70 degrees F.) Remove tart from removable bottom tart pan. Slice into individual servings.
