Vegan Chocolate Tart with Pretzel Crust
Sweet, salty, and with the perfect crunch, this 5 ingredient vegan chocolate tart with a pretzel crust is sure to please the crowd. Throw them together in just 30 minutes for a quick and delicious sweet treat.
Happy Monday, folks! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend filled with many moments of gratitude.
I spent a lot of Thanksgiving day reflecting on this year and the many wonderful things that have happened over the past 11 months. Life is unpredictable and often so hard, but there are pockets of respite and I feel like most of 2016 has been just that. And at a time I needed it most. The day was filled with love and celebration and much-needed rest.
Then I woke up on Friday morning and, with a flip of a switch, the Christmas season had begun! The rest of the weekend was spent making all kinds of treats for you this holiday season. I’ve got some incredible things coming up in December, including the return of my Vegan Cookbook Giveaway Extravaganza, some awesome new holiday guides and round-ups (make sure to check out these 45 Vegan Christmas Cookies), and a few sweets and treats.
Including this oh-so-easy Vegan Chocolate Tart recipe.
Remember a few weeks ago when I gave you the step-by-step tutorial for making the perfect chocolate ganache? Boy, did I ever have a masterplan for it. Yep, you got it. This Vegan Chocolate Tart is just what I had in mind.
Ingredients for Chocolate Pretzel Tarts
Ready for it? All you need for this decadent chocolate ganache filled pretzel tarts are:
- pretzels
- vegan butter
- granulated sugar
- chocolate ganache
That’s it!
WHAT IS VEGAN CHOCOLATE GANACHE?
First and foremost, let’s take a look at our filling. Classic chocolate ganache is a combination of chocolate and cream that can be used:
- as glaze
- a filling for cakes and tarts
- or rolled into chocolate truffles.
For these chocolate pretzel tarts, we will be using our chocolate ganache as a filling and so must adjust our milk to chocolate ratio accordingly.
How to Make Chocolate Pretzel Tarts
Step One – Make the Chocolate Ganache
To make the chocolate ganache, gently heat coconut milk to a scald. Basically, you are looking for a thin skin to form on top of the milk. Bubbles will be starting below the surface, but you do not want it to get to the point that they are breaking through. This will burn the chocolate.
Once the milk is at a scald, quickly removed the milk from the heat and pour evenly over the chocolate chips.
With a rubber spatula, gently stir together the ganache in a folding motion, from top to bottom. This will take about 2-3 minutes. At first, it will look lumpy but keep up with the gentle folding. Eventually, it will come together. Once this happens the ganache will get dark brown and very smooth. Be careful not to over mix. The least amount of agitation to the chocolate, the better.
Step Two – Make the Crust
In a food processor blend together pretzels, butter, and sugar until pretzels are broken down and stick together when pressed between your fingers. Press into cupcake holders and bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and let tarts cool for another 10 minutes.
Step Three – Assemble and serve
Pour the chocolate ganache into tart shells, top with a pretzel, and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until chilled all the way through.
Serve chilled.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THE PERFECT CHOCOLATE TARTS
Working with chocolate can be a bit challenging. Here are a few tips to make your truffle making easier.
- Don’t over-mix the chocolate at any point. Chocolate does not want to be messed with much. When mixing the ganache and chocolate, mix it only as much as necessary. Gentle heat will do most of the work itself.
- Don’t burn the chocolate. When melting the chocolate in the double boiler, make sure that the chocolate is only melting from the steam in the pot. Too much heat will burn the chocolate immediately.
- Flavor them as you please (there are a few suggestions below) and top them when the chocolate is still a bit wet so that the toppings stay on your truffles
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Vegan Chocolate Tart
Ingredients
Pretzel Tart Crust
- 2 1/4 cup pretzels
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Filling
- 2/3 cup chocolate ganache
- 12 mini Pretzels
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with silicone cupcake holders. Set aside.
- In a food processor blend together pretzels, butter, and sugar until pretzels are broken down and stick together when pressed between your fingers.
- Press into cupcake holders and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let tarts cool for another 10 minutes.
- Pour the chocolate ganache into tart shells, top with a pretzel, and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until chilled all the way through.
- Serve chilled.
