I know it’s a ridiculously busy time of the year, but with all the potlucks and parties ahead, it’s terrific to have one sure-fire, can’t-fail, big-hit-wonder recipe in your arsenal.
I’m talking about this: Bittersweet Chocolate Raspberry Tart.
I’ve had this recipe in my arsenal for over twenty five years, and it’s one of the few that predates my years at cooking school.
I have a vivid memory of making this recipe with very little baking experience and bringing it to a party and everyone was floored. “YOU? Made this?”
Yes, but what they didn’t know is how absurdly easy it is to make.
You basically make a chocolate shortbread-like dough,
chill this crumbly dough until firm,
and then bake that shell for about 15 minutes.
Next, make a quick ganache (with cream and chopped chocolate) and pour it directly into cooked shell. Top with raspberries and sea salt and put in the fridge to firm up.
That’s it.
When you use really good chocolate (I like Trader Joe’s Pound Plus Bar)
(and perfect looking raspberries), it’s a stunner, delivering big on deep, dark chocolatey richness.
With just a little powdered sugar, there’s no prettier belle at the ball.
You can make one regularly sized one or several smaller ones– there’s really no wrong way to go here.
Following some advice on Pinterest, I made some mini tarts using Mason jar lids as platforms
and these tarts were the perfect size for drop offs, like this teacher lunch this week.
Chocoholics and raspberry lovers, this is for you.
- Crust:
- 6 Tbs. softened butter
- ½ C. white sugar
- ⅛ tsp. salt
- ¾ tsp. vanilla extract
- 6 Tbs. unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
- ¾ C. flour
- Filling:
- 8 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate (or 6 oz. bittersweet and 2 oz. semi-sweet)
- 1 C. cream
- 1 Tbs. butter
- 1 tsp. orange extract or vanilla
- anywhere from 25-50 raspberries (depending on size of berries and how berry filled you want it to be)
- small amount of large flake salt (like Maldon) or fleur de sel
- Cream together softened butter, sugar, and salt. Add vanilla and cocoa powder, mix for 30 seconds, scrape down sides, and add flour. Mix for another 30 seconds until a soft paste forms. Don't worry if it's still crumbly; remove from mixer and form into ball by hand. It will still be a bit crumbly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Take dough and press into tart pan, being sure to push dough up the sides. Press firmly and make it as flat and even as possible.
- Cook for roughly 14 minutes; dough won't look cooked but should not look really wet.
- Make ganache. Gently heat cream until hot and then off heat, add in chocolate. Using whisk or spoon, mix until all chocolate is melted. Add butter and orange/vanilla extract until well blended.
- Pour ganache into par-baked shell, and smooth out with offset knife. While ganache is still warm, add raspberries in any pattern you like (I usually start with middle and go out) and add just a flake or tiny bit of salt to each raspberry.
- Chill until firm, and I've found that this tart is best when it's not too cold (I like to have it sit out for 20 minutes or so before serving).
Hi Sarah, I wanted to send a thank you for the idea for a really great Mother-Daughter-Great Aunt celebration of my daughter’s 17th birthday. I read your blog at just the right time when I was trying to think of something to celebrate my daughter’s birthday. We live about 1.5 hours from San Francisco and your Girl’s Weekend SF blog was so detailed and I was so inspired and contacted my aunt, who lives in SF and we made a plan a few weeks out. I also lived and worked in SF at Williams Sonoma Corporate back in the 90s and really love your blog, which I found through the Non-Consumer Advocate’s Katy. Anyway, for our 17th birthday weekend we started with your ideas and hit the DeYoung, Legion of Honor, MOMA, Ferry Building (pork buns, Vietnamese and Afogatos, oh my!), as well as Open Studios, Tartine, Hayes Valley vintage shopping…we had such a great time and it wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t been inspired by your post, so thank you for the idea that turned into great memories. 🙂
I made this tart yesterday and it is AMAZING!!! I used Guittard extra dark chocolate for the ganache and substituted blackberries for the raspberries, since blackberries were on sale. It was so, so easy to make. I think its going to be my new go-to dessert. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Terri, so glad to hear! I love that you used that chocolate and I’m sure that the decision paid dividends. I’m soo glad you agree– ridiculously easy and whenever I try a chocolate dessert at a restaurant or bakery, I’m usually disappointed because it’s not as good as this one. Thanks for reporting back!