A rich, indulgent and easy dessert, this Tonka Bean Chocolate Tart combines a buttery chocolate pastry with a silky chocolate ganache filling. Thanks to Whittard’s Tonka Bean Hot Chocolate, this delicious tart is enhanced with the aromatic vanilla and almond notes of tonka bean. It’s topped with cherries and almonds for a beautiful dessert that’s perfect for dinner parties or special occasions.
This recipe is created in partnership with Whittard of Chelsea. I only recommend products I personally love, use and trust.
About this Tonka Bean Chocolate Tart
- FLAVOUR: Deep, dark chocolate with subtle notes of vanilla, almond and rich cocoa from the Tonka Bean Hot Chocolate. This tart is all kinds of delicious!
- TEXTURE: Crisp, buttery pastry meets smooth, melt-in-the-mouth ganache. The chopped almonds on top bring a little crunch, and the cherries are fresh and juicy.
- SERVES: This tart will easily serve 8-12 people, depending on how big you cut the slices.
What are Tonka Beans?
Tonka beans are native to South America and are known for their complex aroma, blending vanilla, almond, and spices. They’re often used in high-end patisserie and desserts and are a secret ingredient top chefs swear by.
Tonka beans aren’t the easiest of ingredients to source, but that’s where the new Whittard Tonka Bean Hot Chocolate steps in! This truly exquisite hot chocolate combines the creamy richness of hot chocolate with the aromatic flavour of tonka bean. It’s the perfect ingredient to add a little luxury to your bakes, just like this chocolate tart!
Your Ingredients List
You only need 7 ingredients to make this tart recipe, plus a few toppings for the decoration:
- Whittard Tonka Bean Hot Chocolate: A few scoops of this luxurious hot chocolate flavours the pastry and filling with the distinct aroma of Tonka bean.
- Plain flour: Provides structure to the tart shell.
- Icing sugar: For a hint of sweetness and tender pastry.
- Unsalted butter: Creates a flaky, buttery pastry and makes the ganache filling rich and glossy.
- Egg: Binds the pastry together and adds richness.
- Dark chocolate: Gives the filling a rich, intense chocolate flavour without being overly sweet. Choose a good-quality 70% dark chocolate.
- Double cream: Helps create a silky ganache with a rich flavour.
- Toppings: Chopped almonds, fresh cherries and mint sprigs are arranged on top, giving the tart a visually stunning decoration.
How to Make The Tart Shell
A great tart starts with a great pastry base. This tonka bean chocolate pastry is buttery, crisp, and full of flavour, making the perfect foundation for the rich ganache filling. Follow these simple steps for a flawless tart shell:
- Make the pastry: Whisk together the flour, icing sugar, and hot chocolate powder. Rub in the cold butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then mix in the egg until a dough forms.
- Chill: Shape into a disc, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for at least an hour to relax the gluten.
- Roll: Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to 0.5cm thick and 5cm bigger than the tin (place it on top as a guide).
- Line the tin: Lay the pastry over your tart tin and press into the sides. Roll your rolling pin over the top to trim the edges. Prick the base all over with a fork.
- Freeze before baking: Place in the freezer for 30 minutes to prevent shrinkage.
- Blind bake: Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan). Line the pastry with baking paper, fill with baking beans, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and bake for another 10 minutes until crisp.
- Cool before filling: Let the tart shell cool completely before filling.
Top Tips for Perfect Pastry:
- Use cold butter and cold hands to maintain flakiness.
- Handle the pastry lightly and quickly to prevent toughness.
- Freeze the pastry shell before baking to reduce shrinkage.
No-bake Tonka Bean Chocolate Tart Filling
The magic of this tart lies in its silky smooth, no-bake filling. A simple combination of dark chocolate, cream, butter and Whittard Tonka Bean Hot Chocolate melt together to create a silky ganache. Here’s how to make it:
- Chop the chocolate finely and place it in a heatproof bowl.
- Heat the cream, hot chocolate powder, and butter over medium heat until just hot but not boiling.
- Pour the hot mixture over the chopped chocolate, cover the bowl, and let it sit for a minute.
- Stir everything together until smooth and glossy.
- Pour the ganache into the tart shell, smoothing it out and tapping to remove air bubbles.
- Chill in the fridge until firm – about an hour.
How to fix broken ganache
If your ganache looks split or slimy, don’t worry we can fix it! First, stir in 1 tablespoon of double cream. Then, microwave for 10 seconds and whisk vigorously to bring it back to a smooth and glossy consistency. Repeat if needed.
Tart Decoration Ideas
Now comes the fun part – decorating! This tart is delicious on its own, but a few decorative touches can make it extra special. Here are some ideas to elevate the look:
- Quick & easy: A light dusting of cocoa powder or a drizzle of melted chocolate would make an easy decoration.
- Elegant & professional: Arrange chopped almonds, cherries and mint sprigs in a neat half-moon shape for a polished finish.
- Fresh & summery: Fresh berries, edible flowers, and a light grating of white chocolate bring a vibrant, summery look.
Recipe F&Q’s
Absolutely! You can prepare the pastry dough and keep it wrapped in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze it for up to a month.
No problem! You can use uncooked rice or dried beans instead. Just remember that once used for baking, they can’t be cooked, but they can be reused for blind baking.
You can, but you’ll miss out on the unique tonka bean flavour.
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.
Yes! Wrap and freeze the whole tart or slices for up to a month. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
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Tonka Bean Chocolate Tart
Equipment
Ingredients
For the tonka bean chocolate pastry:
- 220 grams Plain all-purpose flour plus a little extra for dusting
- 50 grams Whittard Tonka Bean Flavoured Hot Chocolate
- 20 grams Icing sugar
- 150 grams Unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 1 medium Egg beaten
For the tonka bean chocolate filling:
- 200 grams Dark chocolate choose a good quality 70% dark chocolate
- 2 tablespoons Whittard Tonka Bean Flavoured Hot Chocolate
- 200 millilitres Double cream
- 50 grams Unsalted butter
For the decoration:
- 2 tablespoons Almonds finely chopped
- 100 grams Cherries some halved, some whole
- Mint sprigs
Instructions
Prepare the pastry:
- Whisk the flour, icing sugar and Whittard Tonka Bean Hot Chocolate together in a bowl.220 grams Plain all-purpose flour, 50 grams Whittard Tonka Bean Flavoured Hot Chocolate, 20 grams Icing sugar
- Add the cold cubed butter and rub it into the dry ingredients with cold hands. After about 10 minutes, the mixture should look like fine breadcrumbs.150 grams Unsalted butter
- Add the egg and use your hands to work the mixture into a dough. The dough will be sticky at first, but eventually, it will come together and be smooth.1 medium Egg
- Shape into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hour in the fridge. Meanwhile, grease a 9-inch tart tin with butter.
Roll and bake the pastry:
- Place a sheet of greaseproof paper on your work surface. Lightly dust it with flour and flour your rolling pin. Roll out the pastry until it is approximately 0.5cm thick and 5cm larger than the tart.
- Use your rolling pin to lay the pastry over the tart tin. Press the pastry into the sides of the tin and roll the rolling pin across the top of the tin to trim off any excess pastry. Prick the base of the tart all over with a fork.
- Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes (this will stop the pastry from shrinking too much). Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 180°C (fan) / 200°C (conventional).
- Line the tart with a scrunched-up piece of greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans or rice. Blind bake in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove the paper and beans and return to the oven for 10 minutes or until the pastry is firm and completely cooked through. Leave to cool in the tin.
Make the filling:
- Finely chop the dark chocolate and place it in a bowl.200 grams Dark chocolate
- Add the cream, hot chocolate powder, and butter into a saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir continuously until piping hot but not boiling.2 tablespoons Whittard Tonka Bean Flavoured Hot Chocolate, 200 millilitres Double cream, 50 grams Unsalted butter
- Pour the mixture over the chopped chocolate and cover the bowl with an upside plate to trap the heat inside. Leave for 1 minute.
- Stir until the ganache looks smooth, combined, and glossy. Looking split or slimy? Don't worry, we can fix it (see note 1 below).
- Pour the ganache into the pastry case and smooth it out. Lightly tap the tin to remove the air bubbles.
- Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or until the filling is set.
Decorate the tart:
- Carefully remove the tart from the tin and place on a serving plate.
- Sprinkle the chopped almonds over the tart and arrange the cherries and mint sprigs on top. Slice, serve and enjoy!2 tablespoons Almonds, 100 grams Cherries, Mint sprigs
