These Mini Chocolate Tarts have a buttery tender pastry shell, a creamy chocolate ganache, and a sprinkling of sea salt flakes for a flavorful finish.


Small batch. Big flavor. Mini tarts with chocolate ganache or lemon curd.


When testing recipes, I often make changes. More of this. Less of that. But this mini tarts recipe from scratch was simply delicious from the start.

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A perfect mini tart crust recipe as a base for fruit or other sweet fillings. Even as mini empty tarts, they would taste good. Let’s go!


Mini Chocolate Tarts Video


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​Mini Chocolate Tarts Ingredients

Mini Tart Shells

  • 9 mini tart tins that are 2.6 inches wide at the top (6.6cm)
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter (75g), softened
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 egg yolk, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (130g)


Chocolate Ganache (or fill with Lemon Curd for a bright burst of citrus)

  • 4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (110g)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (125 ml)


Decoration

  • Fine sea salt flakes


​How to Make the Mini Chocolate Tarts (9 mini tarts*)


*You can double the recipe to make 18 mini chocolate tarts. 


Make the Tart Shells

​Place an oven rack on the lowest level in the oven. Preheat oven to 340 degrees Fahrenheit (170 degrees Celsius). Yup, 340, not 350.
Mini Chocolate Tarts Mix Butter and Sugar
​In a medium bowl, add the softened butter and sugar. Mix on low until light and fluffy.
Mini Chocolate Tarts Mix Egg Yolk and Vanilla
Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Mix on low until combined.
Mini Chocolate Tarts Mix Flour into Butter Mixture
Add the flour to the butter mixture. Mix on low just until the dough comes together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed
Mini Chocolate Tarts Flatten the Dough Slightly
Place a piece of plastic wrap (large enough to wrap the dough disk) on the counter.

Scoop the dough onto the plastic wrap and flatten the dough slightly. Completely wrap the dough.

Chill the dough disk in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Mini Chocolate Tarts Press Dough into Mini Tart Tins

Using a medium cookie scoop, place about 1 ½ tablespoons (27g) of dough into a mini tart tin.


​Press the dough evenly on the bottom and up the sides of the tin. Remove any excess dough.

Mini Chocolate Tarts Prick Holes in Dough
​Use a fork or toothpick to poke holes in the base of the dough (so the tarts don’t puff up while baking). Repeat with the remaining dough.
Mini Chocolate Tarts How to Keep Mini Tart Tins from Sliding

A tip from Fold Gently: Because the mini tart tins can slide, use a silicone mat on the baking pan or cookie sheet, or place the mini tart tins in a cake pan, making it easy to transfer from freezer to oven to refrigerator. No flying tart shells! 


Place the pan in the freezer for 10 minutes. ​(Chilling the tart dough keeps the pastry from shrinking while it bakes.)


Bake on the lowest oven rack until light golden (like shortbread), 18-20 minutes.

Mini Chocolate Tarts Remove Mini Tarts from Oven
Remove the pan from the oven and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
Mini Chocolate Tarts Release Tarts from Mini Tart Tins
Once cooled, gently flip over the tart tins to “catch” the tart as it releases.

​If needed, tap the base of the tart tin lightly to release the mini tarts. Place the mini tarts (right side up) on the wire rack.

​Make the Chocolate Ganache

​Place the semisweet or bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof medium bowl. Set aside.

Place a small saucepan on the stovetop. Heat the heavy cream on medium-high heat just until bubbles start appearing around the edges (do not boil).
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Mini Chocolate Tarts Pour Hot Cream Over Chocolate
Immediately pour the hot cream over the chocolate in the bowl. Let stand for 2-3 minutes.
Mini Chocolate Tarts Whisk the Chocolate Ganache
Using a whisk, mix into a smooth texture. If some of the chocolate clumps up, strain the chocolate through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl.

Assemble the Mini Chocolate Tarts
Mini Chocolate Tarts Add Chocolate Filling to Mini Tart Shells
Using a small cookie scoop, add chocolate ganache into each of the shells.

​Return the tarts to the small cake pan and place the pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Mini Chocolate Tarts Sprinkle Sea Salt Over Chocolate

Sprinkle sea salt flakes on top of the chocolate ganache.


Store the Mini Chocolate Tarts in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

Mini Chocolate Tarts Bring to Room Temperature Before Serving