Chocolate Tart Shell Recipe

This easy-to-make Chocolate Tart Shell Recipe is perfect for making tart crusts and cut-out cookies.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE TART SHELLS

• I love bite-size desserts. And these mini tart shells are perfect for making finger food desserts.
• Mark my words! Mini tart shell desserts are special little treats that will have your guest admiring your baking skills.
• Freeze tarts shells for those last-minute parties or unexpected guests. An impressive dessert is only a few minutes away with already baked tart shells. Use whipped cream and fresh fruit for the filling.

INGREDIENTS

• All-purpose flour
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder or Dutch Processed
• Powdered sugar
• Room temperature butter
• Eggs (1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks OR 2 whole eggs)
• Vanilla Extract

EASY CHOCOLATE TART SHELL COOKIE DOUGH

This easy-to-make chocolate cookie dough comes together quickly. To make the dough use a stand or handheld mixer. The process involves creaming room temperature butter with powdered sugar, and beating in egg and egg yolks. Yes, this recipe uses egg yolks and one whole egg. I love using egg yolks because they help make the cookie dough that bakes tender with a much sought-after melt-in-your-mouth feel. Don’t you love that when cookies just melt in your mouth?!

I use good quality Vanilla extract and unsweetened cocoa powder to flavor the cookie dough. And dry ingredients are added last; at the lowest setting, beat flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt into the butter (steps 1-8).

Gather chocolate dough into a ball and flatten it into a disk. Wrap it into a food wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour and up to 3 days (steps 1-3).

CUT OUT ROUNDS

If the dough is too hard to roll, cut it in half and let it soften for 5-10 minutes. It shouldn’t take long (steps 1-2). I roll the dough to 1/8 inch (3mm) when making mini chocolate tartlets. You can eyeball it, but I recommend using rolling guides to ensure even thickness throughout (steps 3-6). I make mini tart shells using small metal molds. I use 3-inch tart molds, and to cut out cookie rounds, I use a 3.5-inch cutter (steps 7-8).

SHAPE MINI TART SHELLS

Carefully pick up cookie cut out and start shaping the tart shells (steps 1-3).

Grease tart molds with nonstick spray. Gently press cookie round into the mold (steps 1-3). Place a piece of folded food wrap over the filled tart (steps 4). Use a second tart mold to shape the cookie layer inside of the first, bottom mold. Align the fluted edges with bottom, filled mold, and firmly but gently press the top mold into the bottom, filled one (steps 5-8).

Remove the food wrap (step 1). When you press the mold into a cookie dough, it pushes some of the dough up the sides, and over the edge (steps 2-3). To remove the excess cookie dough, run a rolling pin over the edge and then with your fingers remove trimmed cookie dough pieces (steps 5-6). Place filled and shaped tarts onto a baking sheet (steps 7-8).

PRICK COOKIE DOUGH

To stop the cookie dough from puffing up while baking, prick the bottom with a fork (steps 1-3). Chill filled and shaped tarts for 10 minutes.

BAKE MINI TART SHELLS

I bake mini tart shells at 350F (180C) for 12-13 minutes. It’s best to let baked tarts cool before attempting to unmold them.

You can use this chocolate tart shell cookie recipe to make larger tart shell. Follow the shaping and baking step in my recipe for Almond Tart Shell.

UNMOLD CHOCOLATE TART SHELLS

Turn cooled mold over. To release the tart shell, gently tap the edge of the mold on the surface, and the chocolate tart shell should pop out of the mold. Repeat with the remaining shells (steps 1-4).

CHOCOLATE TART FILLINGS

Look how pretty they look! If you are wondering what fillings to use with chocolate tart shells, here are a few ideas to get you excited about making your tart shells.

• German Buttercream with fruit, preserves or chocolate drizzle
• Pastry cream with fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or cherries.
• Whipped Cream with fruit.
• Use Raspberry Curd and Meringue to make Raspberry Meringue Tarts.
• Chocolate Mousse via Sweetness and Bite
• Caramel with Whipped Cream
• Lemon Curd with a meringue swirl.

CAN LONG DO BAKED TART SHELLS LAST?

Baked shells can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Mini tarts, I freeze stacked in a freezer-safe container.