Holiday Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart

5 from 4 votes

Holiday Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart

This Holiday Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart is the ultimate show-stopping holiday dessert. Each bite is perfectly balanced between sweet ganache, sugared cranberries, pomegranate seeds, and buttery shortbread tart dough.

Prep Time55

Cook Time30

Setting Time2

Total Time3 25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Slices (1 Tart)

Calories: 679kcal

Author: Emily Laurae

Equipment

Ingredients

Tart Dough

¾ Cup + 2 Tablespoons unsalted French Butter, room temperature 200 g
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ Cup powdered sugar 150g
½ Cup almond flour 50g
¾ Cup all-purpose flour 100g
2 eggs room temperature
2 ¼ Cups bread flour 291g

Dark Chocolate Ganache

1½ cups chopped dark chocolate 340g
4 tablespoon unsalted French butter, room temperature, cut into cubes 56g
1 cup heavy whipping cream 240g

Sugared Cranberries & Assembly

½ cup water 118g
½ cup granulated sugar 100g
1 cup cranberries 130g
¼ cup slivered almonds 18g
¼ cup pomegranate seeds 40g

Instructions

Tart Dough

In a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, start by mixing sugar, butter, vanilla paste, salt, almond and all-purpose flour mixing until combined. Take a moment to scrape the mixing bowl
¾ Cup + 2 Tablespoons unsalted French Butter, room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 ¼ Cup powdered sugar, ½ Cup almond flour, ¾ Cup all-purpose flour
Add room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing between additions
2 eggs
Add bread flour, making sure to not overmix
2 ¼ Cups bread flour
Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap – then place in the fridge to chill before using for at least one hour.
I tend to make my tart dough ahead of time so I throw it in the fridge until the next day. If using this method, remove your dough from the fridge 30 minutes before you plan to roll it out – you’ll find that it will be MUCH easier to work with!
Once your dough is rolled to the desired thickness, press gently into the bottom of your buttered tart pan, poking the bottom of the tart LIBERALLY with a fork, and place in the freezer to chill for 20-30 minutes. This is essential – your tart shells are less likely to shrink while baking if you take the time to freeze your shells.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Line the shell with parchment paper and baking rice/beans/pie weights to further prevent the dough from puffing up.
Bake for 20 minutes before removing from the oven and removing the parchment paper and pie weights then bake for another 10-15 minutes until ever so slightly browned.

Dark Chocolate Ganache

Place chocolate and butter into a large bowl.
1½ cups chopped dark chocolate, 4 tablespoon unsalted French butter, room temperature, cut into cubes
In a small saucepan, bring cream just barely to a simmer.
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and butter, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. After 5 minutes have passed, stir with a spatula until all three ingredients are combined and smooth.
Pour the chocolate ganache into the cooled tart shell. Smooth out the top and place in the fridge to set for 1-2 hours

Sugared Cranberries & Assembly

Bring water and sugar to a simmer making sure that the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat.
½ cup water, ½ cup granulated sugar
Add cranberries and let the cranberries sit in the sugar syrup for 10-15 minutes.
1 cup cranberries
Remove the cranberries from the syrup and allow them to dry on a paper towel for one to two hours. Note that you can certainly use the cranberry syrup for other purposed – there’s no need to get rid of it! ( Happy Hour Anyone?!)
Coat the dried berries in granulated sugar and start to garnish the edges of your tart with slivered almonds, cranberries, and pomegranate seeds!
¼ cup slivered almonds, ¼ cup pomegranate seeds

Video

Notes

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can you use this recipe to make mini dark chocolate ganache tarts? Of course! Both the filling and tart dough can be prepared the same as the larger tart. Just replace the large pan with small circular tart pans. The mini tarts shouldn’t need as much time in the oven so be sure to watch them carefully.
Can you make this ahead of time? To make the tart dough made ahead of time, simply wrap the ball of dough or pastry-filled tart pan in plastic wrap and keep it in your fridge for up to 1 week. It’s also really easy to freeze (see instructions below)! The baked and cooled tart with dark chocolate ganache (without the garnish) can be made 2 days ahead of time. Just keep it covered in the fridge until it’s time to eat.
Can you freeze tart dough? Absolutely! Just wrap the unbaked dough or baked shells in plastic wrap and freeze up to 2 months.

Use my step-by-step guide to learn how to make your own sugared berries.

Nutrition