Chocolate cookie crumb crust, homemade Double Chocolate Pudding, and a cloud of whipped cream topped with chocolate shavings – three layers of chocolate in this Chocolate Cream Tart, each one with a different texture: crumbly, creamy, fluffy, a perfect balance of richness and light.
For a dessert that tastes so decadent, this tart is amazingly easy to make. My biggest challenge was piping on the whipped cream in a way that looked even remotely professional. I finally admitted to myself after these photos that it was time to invest in a full set of piping tips – I’ve been trying to make do with tips that were too small, and as hard as I tried to make beautiful lush swirls of whipped cream on top of this tart, my equipment just wasn’t up to it. I’ll do better next time – but to be honest, it doesn’t really matter. I could have plopped the whipped cream on with a spoon and this dessert would have been just as delicious. I’ve said it before and I honestly believe that desserts that taste fantastic don’t need a whole lot of fussing over presentation.
The crown of whipped cream (even one this clumsy) may be the first thing that catches your eye, but the real star of this Chocolate Cream Tart is the pudding – dark and silky, double-rich from both cocoa powder and chopped premium chocolate, thickened with egg yolks and cream.
Since it’s just John and me here, I often make downsized versions of desserts such as cakes and tarts. The Chocolate Cream Tart shown here was made in a 7½-inch pan, about 3/4 the size of a full-sized tart. In the recipe below I’ve started with the full-sized (10-inch) tart, and then listed the ingredient quantities for the downsized version underneath.
Making this ahead and what to do with leftovers:
- You’re going to assemble this Chocolate Cream Tart when the pudding is freshly made and still warm. It will need at least 4 hours or overnight to chill before adding the whipped cream topping and shaved chocolate. Once you’ve added the topping you can hold the tart in the fridge for several more hours until serving.
- The whipped cream will be firmest on the day it’s whipped, but the assembled tart will keep very well for 2 or 3 days. After this, the whipped cream may start to soften a bit but the tart will still taste great for a couple more days.
To see this tart as part of a Tex-Mex-themed menu, read my post for Saturday April 17, 2021. And for another delicious tart that uses this same chocolate cookie crumb crust, you might enjoy this Raspberry Cream Tart with Chocolate Crust.
Chocolate Cream Tart
Start early in the day or a day ahead to give the pudding time to chill. For best results, make the tart while the pudding is still warm. See the instruction in Step 4 below if you prefer to make the pudding ahead.
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (preferably European-style)
- 9 ounces chocolate wafer cookies (such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers)
- Double Chocolate Pudding
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
- Block of chocolate for shavings, optional
Directions
- Step 1 Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter.
- Step 2 Crumble the cookies into the bowl of a food processor and process them into fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse the processor a few times until the crumbs and butter are combined. Dump the crumbs into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press them out into an even layer across the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Bake the crust for 12 to 15 minutes, until it’s set and slightly puffy. Remove the pan to a wire rack to cool completely, about 25 minutes.
- Step 3 Make the Double Chocolate Pudding. While the pudding is still warm, ladle some of the pudding into the tart shell, filling the crust almost but not quite to the top (about 2 cups of pudding). Smooth the top of the pudding, then press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Pour the remainder of the pudding into a bowl or storage container, cover and chill it for another use. Chill the tart for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Step 4 (If you’ve made the pudding ahead and it’s already cold, scoop the cold pudding into the cooled crust and smooth the top. Chill for at least an hour or two so the pudding and crust have a chance to meld.)
- Step 5 Whip the cream to soft peaks using a handheld or stand mixer. Add the confectioner’s sugar and continue whipping until the cream forms firm peaks. Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the tart.
- Step 6 If desired, use a vegetable peeler to scrape shavings off a bar of chocolate (milk or dark, your choice), letting them fall onto the whipped cream.
Ingredient quantities for a 7½-inch tart
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (preferably European-style)
- 6 ounces chocolate wafer cookies
- About 1½ cups Double Chocolate Pudding
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
- Block of chocolate for shavings, optional
Directions
- Step 1 Follow the instructions as written in the main recipe.
