The dark chocolate tart I’m sharing today is a dessert that tastes like home, a warm oven and an aroma that fills the kitchen. It’s a delicious, impressive recipe featuring a crisp shortcrust pastry shell that encloses an intense and exquisite cream. It’s perfect for those who love authentic flavors and ideal as a Sunday dessert. The concentric-circle topping, decorated with a fluted wheel, makes it elegant and irresistible at first glance; a small detail that turns a simple dessert into a real indulgence. Make it yourself and tell me if you managed to resist cutting a second slice. I didn’t!
Other tart recipes you might be interested in:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Moderate
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 50 Minutes
- Portions: 12 Servings
- Cooking methods: Double boiler, Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for the dark chocolate tart
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs (medium)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 packet vanillin (vanilla powder)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 3/4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp baking powder
- powdered sugar (for dusting)
- 8 oz dark chocolate (coarsely chopped)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs (medium)
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp milk (cold)
Tools
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Hand whisk
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Tart pan with removable bottom, 10 1/4 in diameter
- 1 Fine-mesh sieve fine mesh
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 Pastry wheel
- Parchment paper
Preparation of the dark chocolate tart
Remove the butter from the refrigerator and let it soften at room temperature until it can be worked with a spatula; it should become like a cream. If you want to speed up the process, you can heat it briefly in the microwave, but be careful because there is a risk it may melt.
Crack the eggs into a bowl, add the sugar and vanillin and beat well with a small hand whisk.
Then add the oil and the softened butter and mix again until well combined.
At this point, also add the flour, sifting it together with the baking powder through a fine-mesh sieve.
Mix the mixture first with a spatula and then, when it starts to come together, quickly knead it with your hands. You should obtain a smooth, homogeneous dough, soft but not sticky to the touch.
Divide it into two equal portions. Wrap one in plastic wrap and transfer it to the refrigerator.
With the second portion, line a previously buttered and floured tart pan with a removable bottom (10 1/4 in diameter). Prick the base with the tines of a fork and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
Break the dark chocolate into large pieces and melt it in a double boiler or in the microwave. Set aside.
Sift the ricotta into a bowl, then add the sugar and mix well.
Then add the eggs (one at a time) and blend them into the mixture.
Now add the cocoa, sifting it through a small sieve, and incorporate it completely.
Finally, add the melted chocolate.
In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold milk until you have a lump-free mixture.
Transfer the chocolate cream to a saucepan, place over the heat over low heat and when it has slightly warmed, add the cornstarch-and-milk mixture.
Stir continuously and carefully until the cream begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and let it cool, stirring from time to time.
Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the tart pan to mark the edges of the pan.
Transfer it to the work surface, take the dough portion you left in the refrigerator and roll it out with a rolling pin to form a circle as wide as the tart’s diameter.
At this point, starting from the center, create a decoration with a fluted wheel, as shown in the photo. Transfer this covering to the refrigerator for about ten minutes so it hardens slightly and becomes easier to handle.
Pour the chocolate cream (now warm or cold) into the pastry shell and level it.
Using the parchment paper to help, flip the cover over the chocolate filling and trim the excess dough.
Press the edge inward, using the handle of a teaspoon or a chopstick to help.
Finally, place a small ball of pastry in the center.
Bake the dark chocolate tart in a preheated static oven at 356°F for 40 minutes. When done it should be well golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely before transferring it to a serving plate. With the removable bottom this will be very easy. Finally, when serving, dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy! Paola.
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