Decadent Coffee-Chocolate Tarts

Since chocolate and coffee are two of the best things in the world, it just made sense to combine them in these rich, coffee chocolate tarts. Both ingredients are made from the fermented, roasted beans from two different tropical plants.

The two flavors, similar but different, deepen each other's bittersweetness, as well as those underlying roasty flavors. This recipe has all the comfort of strolling down the Champs Elysee on a winter's day and stopping at a warm patisserie for a Cafe Mocha.

Coffee Chocolate Tart Recipe

Servings: 6 Tartlets 

Chocolate Tart Crust
12 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cold, cubed
1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cocoa powder 

You’ll need to start with a batch of six chocolate tart shells. Don’t worry — we'll walk you through exactly how to make a tart crust like a French pastry chef in our detailed post here. This is the longest part of the process and can be made the day before.

Coffee-Chocolate Ganache

1 cup whole milk
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. instant coffee

Place chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Combine the milk and coffee and bring to a boil. Pour over chocolate chips and wait 3 minutes for chips to melt. Whisk the mixture until smooth and glossy. 

Pour directly into chocolate tart shells while still warm. The ganache will stiffen as it cools. 

Italian Meringue Recipe

A meringue adds a nice contrast to the deep color of the chocolate ganache, and our French tart kits come with a silicone piping bag and three nozzles to select the exact look you want. To make the best meringue, you need to get the temperature just right, and our kits come with a specialty candy thermometer to make sure there is little margin for error.

Meringue Ingredients

1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup water
4 egg whites, reserved (room temp)

Equipment 
Candy thermometer (included in kit)
Piping bag & favorite nozzle (included in kit)

Slide and adjust a candy thermometer to fit a small saucepan, ensuring the tip isn’t touching the bottom. Add sugar and water and place on stovetop over high heat. 

Meanwhile, whisk egg whites on low speed with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. Make sure the bowl and beater are completely grease and moisture free.

On the stovetop, the sugar and water should be boiling. Be patient and wait until the mixture reaches 250˚ F on the candy thermometer.  The exact temperature is important. 

At this point, the egg whites should look like a thick foamy bubble bath. While still mixing, slowly begin to spoon the hot sugar syrup into the bowl 1 tablespoon at a time. Whisk on high speed for a full 6-8 minutes until the mixture cools and reaches a consistency of old-fashioned shaving cream. 

Set up your piping bag with the nozzle of your choice. For easy filling, bend the end of the piping bag, place in a drinking glass, and fold the bag over the rim of the glass. Pipe directly onto cooled chocolate ganache tarts.