This simple, flavorful chocolate tart shell is a great vessel for cheesecakes, sweet potato pie, fruit tarts, chocolate silk pie or even a pumpkin pie. However you end up filling this chocolate tart shell, you will love the flavor and texture!
Let’s get this tart shell started…
Start by gathering 1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour, 3 tablespoons of special dark cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, 1 large egg and 13 tablespoons of cold, cubed salted butter.
Add 1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour, 3 tablespoons of special dark cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder and 1/3 cup of granulated sugar into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times to combine the dry ingredients.
Add the cold butter cubes and pulse until the texture resembles a coarse damp sand. This should take 12-15 pulses. I recommend draping a kitchen towel over the food processor during this stage, as the cocoa powder can puff out a bit during the first several pulses.
Now add 1 large egg and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract and pulse until large crumbles form. Once you see the crumbles coming together slightly, test the texture by squeezing a bit in between your fingers and if it holds together without sticking to your fingers, you are ready to transfer the crumbles onto a lightly floured surface.
This is the crumbly texture that you are looking for. Press the crumbles together into a ball and then gently press it down into a thick disk.
Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for 90 minutes.
Unwrap the chilled dough and place it onto a lightly floured surface. Flour a rolling pin and begin gently rolling the dough out into a 12-13 inch round. If the dough is really stiff, allow it to relax for a few minutes and then continue rolling it out. The edges do not need to be smooth and if you tear the dough, just press it back together and roll over it again.
Carefully wrap the rolled out dough over a floured rolling pin. Do this loosely. This is the easiest way to transfer your rolling out dough onto the tart pan.
Use your hands to press the dough out evenly across the bottom of the pan and evenly against the sides of the pan into each little curve. Trim any excess dough away using a sharp knife and then cover the pan with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
Once the dough is very cold, cover the tart dough with foil. Press the foil down against the dough and fill the entire center with pie weights or dry rice (photo above).
Bake the tart shell in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, carefully transfer the pan onto a heat proof surface (such as a wooden cutting board) and remove the weights and foil.
Return the tart shell to the 375 degree oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes (if you are filling it immediately) or 10-12 minutes (if you are using it later or using a no-bake filling).
If you are using your chocolate tart shell later, wrap it tightly in foil and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
If you are ready to make your tart now, fill it with something fabulous and bake it!
This chocolate tart shell is great! A beautiful dark chocolate color and a wonderfully crumbly texture that releases easily from a non-stick tart pan (I highly recommend one with a removal bottom) and holds up to even a thick, hearty filling.
If you are looking for a chocolate tart shell to use for anything from a cheesecake to a pumpkin pie, give this one a try! I have confidence that you will be glad that you did.
Happy tart baking everyone!
Chocolate Tart Shell
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons special dark cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 13 tablespoons salted butter, cubed, cold
Instructions
- Add 1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour, 3 tablespoons of special dark cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder and 1/3 cup of granulated sugar into the food processor and pulse 2-3 times to combine
- Add 2 teaspoons on vanilla extract and 1 large egg and pulse until you develop a coarse sand texture (12-15 pulses)
- Add 13 tablespoons of cold butter cubes and pulse until a large crumble forms (see photos above)
- Transfer the crumble onto a lightly floured work surface
- Press the crumble into a ball and then gently smash the ball into a thick disk
- Wrap the disk tightly in plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 90 minutes
- Unwrap the chilled dough and place it onto a lightly floured surface
- Flour a rolling pin and begin working the dough out into a 12-13 inch round (if the dough is really hard, allow it to soften for just a few minutes and then continue rolling)
- Loosely wrap the rolled out dough over a floured rolling pin and transfer it onto an 11 inch tart pan
- Press the dough out flat and even and up the side walls
- Use a sharp knife to remove any excess dough sticking above the sides of the tart pan
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and freeze the tart dough for 10-15 minutes
- Remove the plastic wrap and cover the tart dough with foil, being sure to cover the edges and press the foil down gently against the dough
- Fill the middle of the tart pan with pie weights or dry rice
- Bake the tart shell in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes
- Transfer the tart shell to a cutting board and carefully remove the weights and foil
- *If you are using the tart shell immediately, return the tart shell to the oven and bake for 5 more minutes before adding your filling
- *If you want to fully cook the tart shell to use later or with a no bake filling, return the tart shell to the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the shell feels set and no longer moist to the touch
