Ethereal Chocolate Hazelnut Tart
with Angie Battle
You know those crispy chocolate hazelnut candies that are delicious every time of the year? And during the holiday season…. they REALLY know how to yell at you from the cute little decorated boxes. Now you can yell back with a BIG treat that will surely be the star at any holiday gathering. And the best part is—it’s easy!
Makes one 9-inch tart
Serves 8-10
For the crust:
- 6 whole graham cracker sheets
- ½ cup skinned toasted hazelnuts*
- ¼ tsp. coarse salt
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 4 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled
For the filling:
- 2 c. heavy whipping cream, divided
- 6 oz. (1 c.) 60% or higher bittersweet chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar (optional)
For the nut topping:
- 1/3 c. skinned toasted hazelnuts*
- ¼ c. water
- ¼ c. granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp. coarse salt
To make the crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°. In a food processor, combine graham crackers, hazelnuts, salt and sugar. Process to a fine crumb, then slowly drizzle the butter in until it’s thoroughly mixed in.
- Press the crumbs evenly into a 9” tart pan (with removeable bottom), first up the sides then the bottom, of the tart pan. (I like to press things with the bottom of a flat measuring cup to really compact them.)
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until crust is fragrant and lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and cool crust completely while you work on next steps.
For the filling:
- Over medium heat, simmer 1 c. of heavy cream until small bubbles form.
- Turn off the heat, then toss in the chocolate chips. Let them sit for five minutes, then with a whisk or spatula, stir to thoroughly combine the cream and chocolate, essentially turning it into a ganache.
- You’ll want the ganache to cool to room temperature, and as it does, it will start to thicken considerably. This will take about 30-40 min. at room temperature. You can speed it up by putting the mixture in the fridge or freezer and stirring frequently. (Before it gets too thick, you’ll want to mix it with the whipped cream. But while you’re waiting, you can candy the hazelnuts!)
- In a large chilled bowl, whip the remaining one cup heavy cream with the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Drop a third of the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate and give it a vigorous stir to loosen up the chocolate. Then add the rest of the cream, and slowly and steadily fold the two together until the mixture is completely cohesive.
- Spoon the filling into the crust, then with a large knife or offset spatula, even out the top, ensuring the filling is touching all of the crust edges.
- Chill the filled tart for at least two hours to set or cover tightly up to two days.
For the topping:
- Make sure your oven is still on at 350°.
- In a small saucepan, combine the hazelnuts, granulated sugar, salt and water. Bring to a boil and cook for one minute. Drain the hazelnuts, then spread on a single layer on a parchment lined (rimmed) baking sheet.
- Bake until nuts are toasted and shiny--15 minutes. (If they start to brown before they dry out, turn the heat down to 300°. They will still be slightly tacky and soft when you remove them from the oven, but will harden as they cool. (Trust the process.)
To finish the tart, simply top with the candied hazelnuts, using a firm hand to very slightly push the nuts into the filling. Cut and enjoy!
* To skin your hazelnuts, I usually roast them for ten minutes at 350° then rub them in a kitchen towel to loosen the skin. I don’t mind a little left—I think the rustic nature is pretty. But, if you’re a purist, consider following this approach: https://www.willcookforfriends.com/2016/01/how-to-skin-hazelnuts-easily.html