This vegan, grain- and gluten-free chocolate hazelnut tart is excellent whether you have dietary restrictions or not. Using a hazelnut cookie as the base was inspired by a reader, who took my gluten-free peanut butter cookies and made a tart with that dough as a base a while back.
It’s made with coconut flour and maple syrup for a really simple press-in tart shell. The base is more chewy than crisp, but the edge bits are a bit snappy. Filled with vegan chocolate ganache (made with coconut milk) it’s an elegant, easy dessert.
The tart isn’t particularly large. It’s very rich, with the chocolate truffle filling and hazelnut base, so you just need a small piece. I took these photos during currant season, and a touch of acidity from fruit helps to cut through the richness. In wintertime, citrus is good, as in this chocolate orange tart, or persimmon, or frozen berries.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Hazelnut butter: while hazelnut is a great combination, you could also use almond or peanut butter, or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option.
- Coconut milk: this must be full-fat milk, from a can. Low fat or light coconut milk won’t work for this recipe.
- Dark chocolate: the chocolate for the ganache should be at least 65% cocoa solids, so use a good dark chocolate. Anything less and it won’t set properly.
Recipe Notes
Note that depending on the consistency of your nut butter, you might have to add an extra splash of milk. Use runny hazelnut butter if you can instead of the hard bit at the bottom of the jar.
The trick to a good ganache is never to heat the chocolate, just the milk. It’s also much better with bar chocolate instead of chips, which have a stabilizer added so they don’t melt easily.
If the dough base is too soft, first let it sit for 5 minutes and see if it thickens. If not, add another tablespoon of coconut flour and stir for another 30 seconds to incorporate and thicken. Coconut flour varies in consistency and you may need slightly more or less depending on the type – but you’re going for a flexible ball of dough.
How to Store
Storage: the tart is best on the day it’s made and does soften slightly when stored. It can be kept in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to three days.
Freezing: this can be frozen if necessary, but the texture changes for the worse after thawing if frozen solid. I don’t recommend it.
Expert Tips
- Set quickly: to make the filling set more quickly, freeze the tart for half an hour before refrigerating until the ganache is set (solid enough to slice).
- Remove the tin base easily: freeze for 15 minutes, then pop the base off with a butter knife or spatula. If you tend to have trouble with your pan sticking, cut a round of parchment paper to place in the bottom before adding the dough.
- Sweeten to taste: if you have a real sweet tooth, you can add some more maple syrup to the filling, 1-3 tablespoons. Taste the ganache before pouring it into the tart to check.
More Chocolate Desserts
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Olive Oil Brownies
Chocolate Snack Cake
No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Balls
If you make this Vegan Chocolate Tart or any other chocolate recipes on Occasionally Eggs, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email.
Chocolate Hazelnut Tart
Description
Ingredients
Hazelnut Cookie Base
- 130 grams (½ cup) hazelnut butter
- 60 ml (¼ cup) maple syrup
- 35 grams (¼ cup) coconut flour
- 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Ganache Filling
- 150 grams (¾ cup) dark chocolate at least 65%
- 400 ml (13.5 oz) can full-fat coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Maple syrup to sweeten optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and lightly grease a 20 cm (8 inch) springform pan.
- In a large bowl, stir together the hazelnut butter, maple syrup, coconut flour, milk, oil, vanilla, and salt. The mixture will thicken as you stir and form into a ball of dough.130 grams (½ cup) hazelnut butter, 60 ml (¼ cup) maple syrup, 35 grams (¼ cup) coconut flour, 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Press the dough into the prepared springform pan, in an even layer, with 3 cm (1 inch) high sides.
- Poke several holes into the base of the tart with a fork, then bake for 22-25 minutes, or until golden.
- Remove the tart shell and cool for 10 minutes before removing the sides of the pan and cooling fully.
- To make the ganache, finely chop the chocolate and place into a heatproof bowl. Set aside.150 grams (¾ cup) dark chocolate
- Add the coconut milk (the whole can, including water) to a small saucepan. Heat over low medium until simmering. Pour the milk over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for about 30 seconds, then whisk until a smooth, even mixture forms. Whisk in the vanilla and sweeten to taste if desired.400 ml (13.5 oz) can full-fat coconut milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, Maple syrup to sweeten
- Pour the ganache into the tart base, and cool until fully set. This will take at least two hours in the refrigerator. To speed things up, freeze for 30 minutes before refrigerating.
- Serve chilled, topped with fruit and coconut whipped cream if desired. This is best eaten the day it's made, but will keep well in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
That looks delish and beautiful! Are those currants for real? Where do you find them in US?
The currants are for real! I made this at my mom’s house in Canada, she has currant bushes in her garden. I think you can sometimes get them at the market or stores, and they grow wild, too.
This Is A Thing Of Beauty
This looks incredible. How much sweetener (maple syrup) would you suggest for a crowd pleasing dessert? If I choose not to include it, is it simply a rich chocolate flavor, not sweet?
Thanks Amanda! If I’m feeding people who like it a bit sweeter, I usually go for 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup. It is still lightly sweet without the extra maple syrup as the base certainly has sweetness to it, but not overly so.