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Seriously the most amazing Salted Dark Chocolate Tart recipe that I’ve ever tried. It’s incredibly quick and easy to prep, made with healthier ingredients, and tastes ultra-decadent and delicious.
Meet…the salted dark chocolate tart of your dreams. đź’“Â đź’“Â đź’“
I’m not kidding. I’ve made countless rich, decadent, creamy, dreamy chocolately desserts over the years. And I’ve gotta say that this recipe has recently swooped in to win the award for the easiest-to-make chocolate dessert in my little recipe box. And also, arguably the most delicious. (My distinguished panel of taste-testing friends here in Barcelona all agree.)
Bonus? It also happens to be naturally gluten-free, thanks to a simple chocolate-maple-almond crust. It’s also heavy-cream-free, made instead with a simple can of coconut milk. It calls for just 10 easy minutes of baking time in the oven, followed by an hour or two to chill in the fridge. And oh my heavens…is it decadently delicious. And pretty much guaranteed to make you swoon this Valentine’s Day. Or, you know, any day that you need your chocolate fix.
So gather up a bunch of your favorite dark chocolate bars, and let’s get to baking.
Salted Dark Chocolate Tart Recipe | 1-Minute Video
To begin, prepare your cocoa-almond crust as directed below. Then while that’s baking, chop up a bunch of dark chocolate bars (or you can sub in chocolate chips) and place them in a large bowl. Then bring your coconut milk to a simmer, pour it over the chocolate, wait for half a minute or so, then slowly stir the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
I like to add in a touch of vanilla and salt to my chocolate filling. But feel free to have fun with it and add in whatever you’d like! Some other fun combos could include (1) a few tablespoons of bourbon, (2) a pinch of cinnamon and cayenne, (3) the zest of an orange, or whatever else you like in your chocolate.
Once the filling is ready to go, pour it into the baked tart crust. Smooth out the top with a spoon. And then — voila! — that’s really all there is to it!
Pop the tart in the fridge for a few hours until it is nice and firm.
Then sprinkle the top with lots of flaky sea salt…
This Salted Dark Chocolate Tart is incredibly quick and easy to prep, made with healthier gluten-free ingredients, and tastes ultra-decadent and delicious. Feel free to customize the filling with your favorite add-ins (see ideas above).
To Make The Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together crust ingredients in a bowl until evenly combined. Press the crust mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch tart pan (or pie dish). Bake for 12 minutes, or until it begins to feel dry and firm. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
To Make The Chocolate Filling: Meanwhile, as the crust is baking, heat the coconut milk on the stovetop or in the microwave until simmering. Place the dark chocolate in a bowl, and pour the coconut milk evenly over the top of it. Wait 30 seconds, then slowly stir together until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt until combined.
Pour the chocolate filling into the baked crust, and smooth the top with a spoon until it is even. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm.
Almond meal: If you don’t have almond meal/flour, you can ground up a bunch of almonds in the food processor until they form a coarse powder. (Be careful not to over-process them, or they will turn into almond butter!)
Coconut milk: Slightly less than one (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk. Be sure that the coconut milk is evenly whisked before measuring it out. (Or if you prefer not to use coconut milk, you could substitute heavy cream instead.)
Chocolate: I chopped up a bunch of chocolate bars for this recipe. But you can also sub in dark or semisweet chocolate chips, if you’d like.
Thank you a lot for your recipe! I just made it and am waiting for it to cool down. Only suggestion: I think that you should write that it’s full fat coconut milk also in the ingredients, because not everyone (like me) reads until the end and I only realised the mistake after finishing. ;/
I followed the recipe above the first time I made the tart. SO GOOD! I used pink Himalayan salt on top in stead of flakes, and I drizzled it with raw honey to add some sweetness. The chocolate I used was 72% coco and from Trader Joe’s (great deal! $5 for a 17 oz. bar) and the coconut milk was Thai Kitchen (full fat of course).
There are a couple things you need to be careful about in the recipe:
1) DO NOT cook the coconut milk until simmering unless you want to wait for it to cool. The first time I made the chocolate/coconut milk ganache, I ended up breaking the ganache. The milk was too hot and pulled the oil out of the chocolate, causing a gross separation of the two. The ganache looked oily. In order to avoid this, simply warm the coconut milk until hot (not boiling) and slowly mix with the chocolate.
2) Changing the ratios of chocolate ganache to crust can be done. I wanted more crust and less chocolate so I altered the recipe. I did one and a half times the recipe for the crust, and cut the ganache recipe in half. It’s pretty easy to change and some of the measurements were not exact.
CRUST
3 c. almond meal/almond flour
3/8 c. unsweetened coco powder
3/8 c. melted coconut oil
4 1/2 Tbs. maple syrup
3/4 tsp. salt
GANACHE
1/2 can coconut milk (13 oz)
1/2 lb. chocolate (72% coco)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
All and all, this is probably my favorite dessert and super easy to make! Give it a try :)
★★★★★
Fiona —
Thank you Libby, I have adopted these alterations and fingers-crossed we have a winner! In the oven as I type and the ganache is ready to go….
Amazing! So simple to make and soooo delicious – my work colleagues demanded the recipe! I added the zest of one orange and sprinkled the top with sea salt flakes and chopped Jaffas. Thanks Ali for a great gluten free dessert recipe.
I made this today and it was fantastic! I converted almost all the measurements to metric and used a 26 cm springform pan since that was what I had. I did make some changes because I failed to make sure I had everything the recipe called for so I used ground hazelnuts instead of almonds, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and eyeballed what looked like a tablespoon of granulated sugar because I didn’t have enough maple syrup, and added a bit more of the nuts and oil to make sure I had enough to cover the bottom of the springform. I didn’t bother with trying to build a crust up the side of the pan. I used the full can of coconut milk because I didn’t see a reason to leave 25 ml of it out (and honestly also because the cream was solid and I had to heat everything up anyway to mix and measure correctly if I wanted to use the 375ml the recipe called for), so I tossed a bit more chocolate in since I used a more coconut milk. I think I used 460g instead of 454g? It’s forgiving enough that if you adjust it a tad bit, it still sets up. It’s so rich and decadent and I’ll definitely make it again. It’s an elegant dessert and actually takes hardly any time and effort to make.
I’ve made this twice and gotten rave reviews each time. Really quick and easy for something that seems so elegant. The quality of the chocolate you use is critical. Some friends who tried it said they could taste the coconut flavor in the filling, but I think it’s really subtle. I definitely want to try it with the proposed bourbon addition.
This recipe is AMAZING. I am not a ‘baker’ and have made it 3-4 times now. It is always a huge hit and has quickly become a signature dessert. The tart looks hugely impressive and professional. The effort to pay off ratio, especially given the quality and tastiness, is great. The instructions are easy to follow and create a beautiful mirror glaze effect. I have made it once or twice with a crushed berry sauce on the side, but it doesn’t need it! A fancy salt makes this a rich and decadent treat.
I found this recipe originally when searching for a vegan-friendly dessert – another plus since the recipe accommodates/can be easily adapted to people who have certain food restrictions.
Planning to make this for my husband’s birthday this week! Would it be good with either a homemade caramel sauce or whipped cream over the top? Or is it best to just savor the chocolate? :)
OK! So, let’s resume the talk about the recipe! I made it for a brunch this past weekend for a couple of my friends from whom I’ve been isolated for months because of the whole pandemic… Right! So, this turned out totally amazing. I am hosting my sister this weekend so I can make it again. Honestly, I would make it again, just because. Someone mentioned how rich it is, and that is perfect because I don’t need a big slice to feel satisfied. The tart with my French Vanilla flavored espresso made for a perfect ending to a reunion with good friends!
Hi
I made this receipe many times in June and it was fab!! But now since last week my tarts are sticking to the pan /and breaking. I feel my proportion have gone wrong , can you tell me what measures I need to take, cup or GMs? They are both very different values . Cannot wait for it to be successful once again
This is amazing–a huge hit with everyone including the more fussy eaters. I served it with homemade raspberry sauce and cream (for a bit of decadence). Totally delicious!
This was truly one of the best things I have ever made and it was so easy! It probably took me 20 minutes total. I can’t accentuate enough how freaking good this tasted! I recommend making whipped cream to top it off with! I also used a blend of semi-sweet and specialty dark chocolate and it tasted so rich and creamy.
How long does it really take for the crusts to cool down? I have the crusts in mini tart pans (4” diameter) cooling for 10 minutes on the wire rack, and I’m worried chocolate filling will solidify while the crusts cool down.
Loved this. Used a David Leibovitz pretzel crust, 70% cacao, and layered dulce de leche between the crust and chocolate filling. The filling doesn’t taste coconut-y at all (we aren’t coconut fans). Huge hit.
I’m planning to try making this tart this weekend. Just so you know though, there is a difference between almond meal and almond flour! Almond meal is made from raw, unpeeled, almonds and almond flour is made from blanched, peeled, almonds. Compared to almond meal, almond flour has a finer texture and lighter color. Almond meal will be a darker color because it has flecks of the skin in it.
Hi there! I made this recipe and can’t wait to try it. I made it late last night and chilled it overnight but noticed this morning that the tart looks really mottled. Maybe the coconut milk hardened? I tried to wait a while until it had cooled off before chilling. Any advice to avoid this in the future? It looked so nice when I put it in the fridge.
Thank you a lot for your recipe! I just made it and am waiting for it to cool down. Only suggestion: I think that you should write that it’s full fat coconut milk also in the ingredients, because not everyone (like me) reads until the end and I only realised the mistake after finishing. ;/
Literally the hit at our party last night!
★★★★★
I followed the recipe above the first time I made the tart. SO GOOD! I used pink Himalayan salt on top in stead of flakes, and I drizzled it with raw honey to add some sweetness. The chocolate I used was 72% coco and from Trader Joe’s (great deal! $5 for a 17 oz. bar) and the coconut milk was Thai Kitchen (full fat of course).
There are a couple things you need to be careful about in the recipe:
1) DO NOT cook the coconut milk until simmering unless you want to wait for it to cool. The first time I made the chocolate/coconut milk ganache, I ended up breaking the ganache. The milk was too hot and pulled the oil out of the chocolate, causing a gross separation of the two. The ganache looked oily. In order to avoid this, simply warm the coconut milk until hot (not boiling) and slowly mix with the chocolate.
2) Changing the ratios of chocolate ganache to crust can be done. I wanted more crust and less chocolate so I altered the recipe. I did one and a half times the recipe for the crust, and cut the ganache recipe in half. It’s pretty easy to change and some of the measurements were not exact.
CRUST
3 c. almond meal/almond flour
3/8 c. unsweetened coco powder
3/8 c. melted coconut oil
4 1/2 Tbs. maple syrup
3/4 tsp. salt
GANACHE
1/2 can coconut milk (13 oz)
1/2 lb. chocolate (72% coco)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
All and all, this is probably my favorite dessert and super easy to make! Give it a try :)
★★★★★
Thank you Libby, I have adopted these alterations and fingers-crossed we have a winner! In the oven as I type and the ganache is ready to go….
★★★★★
Amazing! So simple to make and soooo delicious – my work colleagues demanded the recipe! I added the zest of one orange and sprinkled the top with sea salt flakes and chopped Jaffas. Thanks Ali for a great gluten free dessert recipe.
★★★★★
This looks delicious! Do you think toasted hazelnuts could be added? If so, what do you think the best way would be to incorporate? Thank you!
I’ve made this several times and it has been a huge hit! Do you think it would be ok to freeze?
I have successfully frozen this… just be careful to take any cover off before defrosting so that you don’t end up with wet marks/discolouration :)
I made this today and it was fantastic! I converted almost all the measurements to metric and used a 26 cm springform pan since that was what I had. I did make some changes because I failed to make sure I had everything the recipe called for so I used ground hazelnuts instead of almonds, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and eyeballed what looked like a tablespoon of granulated sugar because I didn’t have enough maple syrup, and added a bit more of the nuts and oil to make sure I had enough to cover the bottom of the springform. I didn’t bother with trying to build a crust up the side of the pan. I used the full can of coconut milk because I didn’t see a reason to leave 25 ml of it out (and honestly also because the cream was solid and I had to heat everything up anyway to mix and measure correctly if I wanted to use the 375ml the recipe called for), so I tossed a bit more chocolate in since I used a more coconut milk. I think I used 460g instead of 454g? It’s forgiving enough that if you adjust it a tad bit, it still sets up. It’s so rich and decadent and I’ll definitely make it again. It’s an elegant dessert and actually takes hardly any time and effort to make.
★★★★★
I’ve made this twice and gotten rave reviews each time. Really quick and easy for something that seems so elegant. The quality of the chocolate you use is critical. Some friends who tried it said they could taste the coconut flavor in the filling, but I think it’s really subtle. I definitely want to try it with the proposed bourbon addition.
★★★★★
Hi did you use unsweetened coconut milk or regular?
This is AMAZING. Do you have a recipe for a chocolate peanut butter one that is still dairy free???
Looks delicious! Can we substitute almond flour with coconut flour?
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. It’s our family favourite.
Made it- was super easy- and Incredibly delicious
recipe looks good! wondering if i can substitute almond flour for all-purpose?
So yummy. So easy. So good. I put ground chilli in the chocolate ganache and sprinkle on top with the sea salt. Was an assault of flavours. Thanks
★★★★★
This recipe is AMAZING. I am not a ‘baker’ and have made it 3-4 times now. It is always a huge hit and has quickly become a signature dessert. The tart looks hugely impressive and professional. The effort to pay off ratio, especially given the quality and tastiness, is great. The instructions are easy to follow and create a beautiful mirror glaze effect. I have made it once or twice with a crushed berry sauce on the side, but it doesn’t need it! A fancy salt makes this a rich and decadent treat.
I found this recipe originally when searching for a vegan-friendly dessert – another plus since the recipe accommodates/can be easily adapted to people who have certain food restrictions.
THANK YOU!
★★★★★
Planning to make this for my husband’s birthday this week! Would it be good with either a homemade caramel sauce or whipped cream over the top? Or is it best to just savor the chocolate? :)
OK! So, let’s resume the talk about the recipe! I made it for a brunch this past weekend for a couple of my friends from whom I’ve been isolated for months because of the whole pandemic… Right! So, this turned out totally amazing. I am hosting my sister this weekend so I can make it again. Honestly, I would make it again, just because. Someone mentioned how rich it is, and that is perfect because I don’t need a big slice to feel satisfied. The tart with my French Vanilla flavored espresso made for a perfect ending to a reunion with good friends!
Thanks for sharing!
JP
★★★★★
I don’t have a spring form pan. Is it Ok to use a normal one? Will it be difficult for me to cut it later on if I do?
Hi
I made this receipe many times in June and it was fab!! But now since last week my tarts are sticking to the pan /and breaking. I feel my proportion have gone wrong , can you tell me what measures I need to take, cup or GMs? They are both very different values . Cannot wait for it to be successful once again
This is amazing–a huge hit with everyone including the more fussy eaters. I served it with homemade raspberry sauce and cream (for a bit of decadence). Totally delicious!
This was truly one of the best things I have ever made and it was so easy! It probably took me 20 minutes total. I can’t accentuate enough how freaking good this tasted! I recommend making whipped cream to top it off with! I also used a blend of semi-sweet and specialty dark chocolate and it tasted so rich and creamy.
★★★★★
Can I make this with cashew meal. I am allergic to almonds.
Is this vegan? I’m not vegan myself but would like to make it for a Christmas Eve dinner, and I’ll have a few vegans in attendance. Thanks!!
How long does it really take for the crusts to cool down? I have the crusts in mini tart pans (4” diameter) cooling for 10 minutes on the wire rack, and I’m worried chocolate filling will solidify while the crusts cool down.
Loved this. Used a David Leibovitz pretzel crust, 70% cacao, and layered dulce de leche between the crust and chocolate filling. The filling doesn’t taste coconut-y at all (we aren’t coconut fans). Huge hit.
★★★★★
This turned out so delicious! Everyone loved it. Fixed
the chocolate craving with less guilt. Do you know the serving size calories for this treat?
★★★★★
Can I use dairy free chocolate?
At the grocery staring at coconut milk. Your recipe doesn’t say whether to use sweet or unsweetened!
I recommend unsweetened. :)
Thank you! I opted for the unsweetened!
I’m planning to try making this tart this weekend. Just so you know though, there is a difference between almond meal and almond flour! Almond meal is made from raw, unpeeled, almonds and almond flour is made from blanched, peeled, almonds. Compared to almond meal, almond flour has a finer texture and lighter color. Almond meal will be a darker color because it has flecks of the skin in it.
Truly Amazing.
★★★★
Hi there! I made this recipe and can’t wait to try it. I made it late last night and chilled it overnight but noticed this morning that the tart looks really mottled. Maybe the coconut milk hardened? I tried to wait a while until it had cooled off before chilling. Any advice to avoid this in the future? It looked so nice when I put it in the fridge.