This easy no-bake chocolate tart is made with a simple Oreo crust and a rich chocolate ganache filling that also happens to be vegan, topped with fresh berries and a sprinkle of icing sugar.
Hello lovers. Chocolate lovers that is. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and boy do I have a decadent chocolate dessert for you!
Valentine’s Day is one of those weird holidays. Is it really a holiday? It is just a ploy to guilt the world into bulk consumerism? Who really knows. For me, Valentine’s Day is (and I think should be) about celebrating and acknowledging the love in your life, even if it’s to high five your partner about how everyday is valentine’s day in your relationship, or maybe it’s to tell your best friends that you are grateful for always being there for you. Whatever the meaning is that you put behind the day, I hope you can find joy and let yourself see the love that is within the world around you even if it doesn’t come in the form you’re expecting.
And if you don’t celebrate the day, then you may have to come to the realisation that it is hard to escape it, but never fear because there is always a chocolate covered lining.
One of my favourite ways to celebrate, and it will come as no surprise really, is with food. Whether a nice meal out or a night in cooking together, food has a magical way of bringing people together.
This year, I wanted to make a dessert that was rich, luscious and decadent. And the first thought I had was a chocolate tart filled with creamy chocolate ganache.
It’s also hard to think of rich, decadent chocolate desserts without thinking of Nigella Lawson. I remember reading this quote from her:
“I have always avoided making chocolate tarts, not out of laziness (I love a bit of pastry-making, in the right mood), but because I have never really felt that the pastry served the chocolate, or was worth the effort here. This is my simple solution: make a base out of chocolate biscuits.”
When thinking about how I envisioned my chocolate tart, I agreed. I was not interested in a pastry base as Nigella says, it doesn’t serve the chocolate. To really bring flavour and texture that truely compliments the chocolate, there was really only one option – Oreos.
Oreos are one of life’s little food gifts. The are delicious, cheap, happen to be dairy-free and vegan, and did I mention so good you could eat a whole packet in one sitting. Not that I would know anything about that…
The base of this tart is so ridiculously easy and uses just two ingredients. A pack of Oreos and some melted dairy-free butter blitzed together in a food processor. You could also use coconut oil in place of the dairy-free butter if you preferred. Simply press the tart mixture into a 25 cm round non-stick tart pan with a removable base and set aside in the fridge to chill while you make the chocolate ganache filling.
How to make chocolate ganache
For the filing of this chocolate tart, we are using a rich, smooth and creamy chocolate ganache.
With so few ingredients in this tart it is essential that we use a really good quality dark chocolate. My personal preference is the brand Frey which is a Swiss chocolate that is available at the supermarket and I’m not joking when I say it is cheaper to buy it in Australia than in Switzerland. It is lush and creamy in every way you would expect Swiss chocolate to be and is perfect for this tart. I use the 69% percent variety as I think it is the perfect combination of sweet and bitey as dark chocolate should be. Just as a note I’m not sure if this chocolate is vegan, so if this is important to you, make sure to choose your favourite vegan chocolate.
Start by chopping up your chocolate into small pieces. We are using only the heat from the milk to melt the chocolate so you want to make sure that your pieces are small and even in size, meaning no larger chunks. Add the chopped chocolate to a heat proof bowl and set aside while you heat the milk.
In a small saucepan, slowly heat the coconut milk with the maple syrup and vanilla, which while not needed for a traditional ganache, just brings out the sweetness and lifts the flavour of the chocolate. Once the milk is near boiling take it off the heat and evenly pour over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 5 minutes before stirring. Your chocolate should mix together to be smooth and silky.
What happens if my chocolate doesn’t melt? Simply place the bowl over a saucepan of hot water and continue to stir until all chocolate has melted.
Pour the chocolate ganache into the prepared Oreo tart base and place in the fridge to chill for 4 hours until set, and keep refrigerated.
This tart is perfect served with fresh berries and a dusting of icing sugar. A little goes a long way with this dessert but with one forkful of the creamy, rich chocolate ganache filling, paired with the crunchy, sweet texture of the Oreo base and the tang of the fresh berries you will be transported to chocolate delight.
Do you have to use coconut milk? Of all dairy-free milks, coconut milk will provide a creamier texture and I can guarantee the coconut flavour does not carry through as the chocolate dominates that. The coconut milk we use here is the stuff in the can that you probably have in your pantry waiting to make a curry. If you are not dairy-free or vegan then regular, full-fat milk will be fine.
I loved making this tart and decorating it with berries – it just looks so beautiful! This vegan chocolate ganache tart is the perfect way to finish of a special dinner and celebrate through dessert, which is really the only way I know how.
Sending all my love,
Sally x
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with #eightforestlane as I would love to see.
No-Bake Chocolate Tart (Vegan)
Ingredients
Base:
- 2 packets oreo biscuits
- ⅓ cup (80 grams) dairy free spread, melted*
Filling:
- 300 grams dark chocolate
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Fresh berries to serve
Instructions
- Add oreos to the bowl of a food processor and blitz for a couple of minutes until the mixture resembles a sand-like texture. Add in melted dairy-free spread and continue to mix for 30 seconds to a minute until the mixture is wet and sticky. Tip the mixture into a 25 cm non-stick tart pan with a removable base. Use your fingers or the base of a glass to press the mixture down and to the edges and up the sides ensuring it is all compressed down and evenly distributed. Set aside in the fridge while you make the filling.
- Chop up chocolate into small pieces and place in a large, glass bowl. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, heat coconut milk, maple syrup and vanilla, stirring until just starting to simmer. You want it to be nearly boiling but not quite.
- Pour the hot coconut milk mixture over the bowl of chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir chocolate mixture until smooth, shiny and creamy.
- Pour the chocolate ganache filling into the prepared tart base and set aside in the fridge to chill for 4 hours until set.
- To serve, top tart with fresh berries and a dusting of icing sugar. Keep chocolate tart refrigerated.
Notes
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
More chocolate recipes:
Vegan Chocolate Rose Cupcakes
Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies
The Ultimate Chocolate & Coconut Cupcakes
Dairy-Free Classic Chocolate Brownies
Chocolate Honeycomb Cake
Sylvie says
Oh my, this tart looks absolutely delicious! And I love that it is a vegan one too – soooo yum!
Adrianne says
Wow, what a fantastic looking cake Sally! I could seriously face plant into that photo of the chocolate in the tart….YUM!!! Am drooling!!
Sally says
Thanks so much Adrianne!
Alexandra says
Beautiful to look at, and I am sure it tastes incredible too! This is one for my bestie, who is vegan. She will love it – and I will too 🙂
Sally says
Yes, this one is great for both vegans and non-vegans!
Gavin says
This looks like a good one to make w/ my daughter. Trying to get her involved in the kitchen (she is 2.5) so the no bake element is 😎😎
Sally says
Sounds perfect!
Robyn Jones says
That looks incredible! I don’t know if I would be able to stop at just the one slice…
Sally says
Thanks Robyn – it is a risk!
Natalie says
This tart is absolutely gorgeous! Perfect for Valentine’s day ♥
Sally says
Thanks Natalie!