These beautiful Mini Chocolate Tarts are completely no-bake, have an Oreo cookie crust and are filled with a deliciously, simple-to-make, three-ingredient ganache. The combination of semi-sweet and milk chocolate create a balanced sweetness and an irresistible creamy texture. Once decorated, they are a showstopper dessert that never fails to turn heads.
Chocolate Mini Tarts
Indulging in dessert is something my sweet tooth has always gravitated towards, and these Mini Chocolate Tarts with an Oreo cookie crust are the perfect example of a dessert that leaves you wanting more. These mini-sized treats are a heavenly combination of a crunchy, chocolatey crust and a smooth, velvety ganache filling. Moreover, the fact that these tarts are completely no-bake makes them even more convenient and easy to prepare. And while it’s sized for one, sharing one with another is completely understandable considering the richness of each bite.
One of the best parts about these Mini Chocolate Tarts is the simplicity of the recipe. The filling requires only three ingredients and it’s simple to make. The combination of semi-sweet and milk chocolate is an ideal balance of sweetness, which, when coupled with the Oreo cookie crust, is a match made in dessert heaven. The tarts simplicity and ease of execution make it an excellent choice for beginners or seasoned bakers alike.
These Mini Chocolate Tarts can be served for any occasion, whether it’s a fancy dinner party or a simple family get-together. The final touches are what sets them apart from other desserts and makes them a showstopper. Once decorated with an array of colorful toppings, they are a head-turner (so important since we eat with our eyes first) and satisfy even the most discerning sweet tooth.
Ganache vs. Frosting, What’s the Difference
Ganache and frosting are both popular toppings for cakes, cupcakes and many other desserts. However, there are some key differences between these two types of toppings and how they are used.
Ganache
- heavy cream
- chocolate
Ganache, a mixture of chocolate and heavy cream that is heated and stirred until it becomes smooth and glossy. Ganache can be used as a filling (as it is here), a glaze, or a topping for cakes. Ganache is known for its rich, velvety texture and a deep chocolate flavor. You can make it with different types of chocolate, such as milk chocolate, semi-sweet, dark or white chocolate, depending on what you prefer for the desired flavor and sweetness level.
Frosting
- butter or shortening
- confectioners’ sugar
- vanilla extract, cocoa power or other flavors
Frosting, is beaten together until it’s light and fluffy and is then spread or piped onto cakes and cupcakes. Frosting is sweeter and lighter in texture than ganache and can be customized a million different ways with flavors and colors.
While both ganache and frosting are used to decorate and enhance the flavor of desserts, the choice to use either depends on your personal preference and what you want your final dessert to taste like.
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Recipe Notes
- This recipe yields six (4-inch tarts) or one (9-inch) round tart. Here are examples of 4-inch tart pans and a 9-inch round tart pan, both have removeable bottoms.
- It is not necessary to scrape the filling from the Oreo cookies before blitzing them into crumbs.
- Use only high quality chocolate chips for the ganache, such as Guittard. Feel free to swap out one of the chocolates and replace with dark chocolate chips for a less sweet version.
- Do not allow the cream to come to a boil as it will scorch. It needs to be hot enough to melt the chocolate and butter, but not boiling. As soon as you observe small bubbles around the edge of the saucepan, remove from heat.
- If you pour the cream over the chocolate and it doesn’t melt, I would then create a bain-marie (instructions) instead.
- Do not attempt to microwave the chocolate as it will end up grainy.
- The tarts purposely set at room temperature, which is what gives them their shiny and smooth looking ganache. If the weather is particularly hot, you can set them in the fridge for one hour.
- I used a combination of dark colored berries, which I think looks more exotic against the dark colored chocolate, but you can use any fruit you prefer of leave them plain.
- Please make sure any flowers you use are in fact edible.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Dessert Wine Pairings for Mini Chocolate Tarts
Chocolate desserts can be a problem when it comes to pairing wine. So many are under the impression that chocolate and red wine go well together, but I completely disagree. The chocolate overpowers and it just doesn’t work. You need a sweet, fortified wine with chocolate to realize that magical taste sensation/pairing we are all searching for.
Here are a couple of my dessert wine suggestions to serve with these chocolate tarts:
- Banyuls: a fortified wine from the Roussillon region in France that is made from Grenache grapes. It’s an exquisite match with chocolate. Exquisite. It’s also the perfect match with an Oreo (milk’s favorite cookie). Banyuls has a rich, deep flavor, with notes of dark fruit, caramel, and chocolate that complement the chocolatey flavor of ganache and Oreo perfectly. You need to try it, it’s my top pick.
- Sherry: always a safe choice with chocolate. I would go dry or semi-sweet, the nutty and caramel-like notes of the Sherry complement the chocolate flavor and add a complexity to the overall pairing.
- Madeira: I love Madeira, not only for its robust taste, but it’s longevity. With Madeira’s fortification process and aging, it can last for decades without losing its flavor or quality. It will not go bad as you enjoy sipping it over the years. It also goes well with chocolate.
More recently I have found that Bourbon and aged rum Manhattans go well with chocolate, but I’m still testing this out. If beer is more your thing, there is always the old-standby, chocolate stout, that works well with ganache.
More Ways to Indulge in Chocolate
What is it about chocolate that makes it the perfect choice for indulging in moments of celebration, relaxation, and even heartbreak. It’s the best.
- Chocolate Chunk Croissant Bread Pudding
- Double Chocolate Cake Muffins
- Gooey Root Beer Chocolate Cake
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Icebox Cake
- Decadent No-Cook Chocolate Pudding
- Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake
- Nutella-Hazelnut Tart
- Chocolate-Glazed Chocolate Tart
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Mini Chocolate Tarts
Ingredients
Crust:
- 28 Oreo cookies
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (high quality)
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips (high quality)
- 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
Garnish: (optional)
- Cherries, Blackberries, Blueberries and edible flowers (flower shown in photos are chrysanthemums).
Instructions
- Place Oreo cookies into the bowl of a food processor and pulverize until fine crumbs. Add melted butter and process again until mixture looks like wet sand.
- Divide crumbs between six (4-inch) mini tart pans with removable bottoms. Use the back of a spoon to thoroughly press the crumbs into the base and up the sides. Place the tart crusts into the refrigerator while you make the chocolate ganache filling.
- Pour cream into a small saucepan set over low heat, bring the cream to a simmer, but remove from heat before it boils. Add chocolate chips to a large bowl along with the cubed butter. Pour hot cream over the top of the chocolate chips and let sit for five minutes.
- After five minutes use a rubber spatula to very slowly mix the chips and the cream until everything is fully combined, smooth and uniform in color. (See recipe notes in the post if your chocolate did not melt properly.)
- Remove Oreo crusts from the fridge and pour chocolate ganache into each crust, filling all the way to the top. (The chocolate ganache should settle in an even layer, if it doesn't, give each tart pan a little shake or use an offset spatula to smooth it out.)
- Leave mini tarts to set at room temperature, about 2 hours. You can then remove them from the tart pans.
- Decorate with fresh fruit and edible flowers if you choose.
Notes
Nutrition
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