This easy chocolate ganache tart is vegan, and easy to make once you’ve soaked the cashews and dates overnight. High in protein, iron and fiber!Also no-bake, dairy-free and gluten-free. Nutrition and decadence in one chocolatey package.
Chocolate Ganache Tart
The easiest dark chocolate ganache tart ever, dairy-free, vegan, and so tasty you won’t need to know how to store it, it won’t last that long in your house!
This recipe is a rich, creamy, chilled dessert that you will be proud of. Best of all, this chocolate ganache tart will make you feel great with all the protein, fiber and magnesium and antioxidants from the cashew cream, dates and cacao!
This particular vegan ganache tart filling is healthier than traditional ganache.
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Ganache
First let’s visit the definition of chocolate ganache. The traditional recipe for chocolate ganache is a 1 to 1 ratio of dark chocolate with heavy cream. Dairy cream. In the case of vegan chocolate ganache, that cream would be full fat coconut milk.
And I add even more nutritiously-rich ingredients to my vegan ganache increase nutrition and to add a fuller flavor profile. For instance, I add cacao powder for fiber, iron, magnesium, and cashews for protein. A traditional ganache recipe can be found here if you are curious to compare to my vegan ganache recipe.
How to Make A Chocolate Ganache Tart
Meanwhile, let’s talk about how easy these tarts are to make. The most time-consuming aspect is that you must soak the cashews and dates overnight.
You are doing this to the cashews to break down the phytic acid and enzymes inhibitors to ease digestion. You are soaking the dates to make them softer and thus the tart filling creamier.
Once those are soaked, all you do is blend up the ingredients for the tart crust and press into tart pans. To prep the pans, you can grease them with coconut oil, or not. It depends on the surface of your pans.
Refrigerate those tart crusts, but they are really ready for the filling as is.
Is Chocolate Ganache Easy to Make?
My recipes is. Just blend up the ganache filling. No need to heat and risk that iky skin forming on top. Pour the mixture into the tarts. Refrigerate the tarts for at least 30 minutes before eating.
To store, we have frozen them, in an airtight container and they lasted a month or more without freezer-burn.
Here is the process in pictures!
The recipe is such that the texture of this filling actually splits into two. The top texture becomes a denser dark chocolate ganache. And the middle, a creamier layer. And the bottom crust is my favorite though; it tastes like a chocolate cookie.
How Healthy is This Vegan Ganache Tart?
I will answer that question! Most of the ingredients in this chocolate tart provides nutrition, but I will focus on the primary ingredients, cashews, dates and dark chocolate
Cashews, among the most consumed nuts in the world, are high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber and various other nutrients. Specifically cashews contain high levels of magnesium, which supports sleep and muscles. Cashews also provide significant iron and zinc levels.
They are also high in “HDL” or the monounsaturated fatty acids that promote healthy levels of good cholesterol. Cashews also contain small amounts of vitamin E, B-complex vitamins, potassium and calcium. Learn more about cashew’s nutritional benefits here.
How Healthy Are Dates?
Dates, typically Medjool, provide several vitamins and minerals, in addition to fiber and antioxidants. These nutritional benefits are known for preventing constipation and controlling blood sugar control.
Dates also contain antioxidants which battle disease. Recent studies are examining dates ability to lower inflammation, and specifically support in preventing Alzheimer’s disease.
Finally, the use of quality dark chocolate infuses this recipe with fiber, iron, magnesium, copper and manganese. Dark chocolate also provides an amazing range of antioxidants according to this study.
Interested in a version of dark chocolate ganache frosting? Visit my recipe here.
Other Tarts You’ll Love
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Dark Chocolate Tart
Ingredients
Tart Crust
- 3 tbsp cacao powder
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked and rinsed
- 1/2 cup flax seeds
- 3/4 cups almond flour or buckwheat flour for a nut-free option; buckwheat is a seed
- 6 medjool dates soaked and pitted
- pinch of salt
Ganache
- 1 1/2 cup raw cashews soaked and rinsed
- 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk NOT chilled, shaken to combine fat and milk
- 1/2 cup cacao powder
- 1/4 bar (3.5oz) vegan dark chocolate
- 1/8 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch of salt
Useful Equipment
Instructions
Prep
- Measure out the cashews and dates and set them submerged in separate containers in clean water and refrigerate overnight. You are soaking the cashews to break down the phytic acid and enzymes inhibitors to ease digestion. You are soaking the dates to make them softer and thus the tart filling creamier.Many coconut milk recipes require chilling to separate the fat. NOT this recipe. You want the can at room temperature, and shaken so the fat and milk are combined.
Make Tarts
- Blend ingredients for the crust, press into tart pans and refrigerate.
- Blend ingredients for the dark chocolate ganache, and pour into pans.
- Refrigerate tarts 30 minutes before eating. Garnish and enjoy! See, that is so easy!
Nutrition
Dee Dine is founder of Green Smoothie Gourmet, a plant based recipe blog, and author of the recent cookbook, Crazy Healthy with 4 Ingredients . On this blog you’ll find incredibly easy recipes with hidden veggies for anyone wanting to eat healthier, regardless of diet. Dee has graduate degrees in sciences and journalism. More about Dee Dine here.
Joy
This recipe was my first attempt to make a dessert that is vegan and gluten free. Unbelievable. So So so good. The ganache is out of this world and the crust is perfect. Thank you for making it so easy for me. I am so proud of the results.
Dee Dine | Green Smoothie Gourmet
Joy! I am so happy you found this recipe useful, and that it was your first attempt! Makes me so happy. I remember when I first made these and was also astonished at how good they were. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Dee xx
Ellen Lederman
I’d love to make this, but don’t have individual tart pans. Would muffin/cupcake pans work?
Dee Dine | Green Smoothie Gourmet
Hi Ellen,
Yes, of course you can use cupcake pans. I think a cupcake well is about 2/3 the size of a tart pan, so just press the tart mixture into the bottom of each cupcake well and see how many you can create. It will depend on how much mixture you use per crust. Good luck! Dee xx
Merrill Phoenix
Hi, these look gorgeous! Could you use cashew butter instead of soaking as my blender is not very powerful. If so what quantity would you recommend?
Thanks
Debbie
Yes, Merrill, you can use cashew butter instead of creaming raw cashews for the ganache. You will want to use a brand that does not have any other ingredients, and you would use half the amount of raw cashews (for instance, the ganache in this recipe calls for 1 1/2 cup raw cashews, so you’ll need 3/4 cup of raw cashew butter.)
Regarding the cashews for the crust, cashew butter will not work but the crust can have nut chunks, so a high-speed blender is not necessary.
Hope that helps! Dee xx
Karina
Is it possible to freeze it?
Debbie
Hi Karina, I haven’t frozen it, but these ingredients usually do freeze just fine. Dee xx
Lindsey Venable
Hey I made this and it was really awesome! I added a bit more sweeteners but the end result is a delight! Especially with raspberries. Thanks for the inspiration to make something fun!
Debbie
Lindsey, thank you so much for sharing your experience with this recipe! It’s true, I’ve been told more than once my recipes need to be sweeter – I make them less sweet because that’s the way I like them (haha), but I have started emphasizing that sweetening might need adjusting to taste.! Take care, Dee xx.
Sammy
Hi thanks for the recipe, do these need to be in a fridge allthe time? If I left them out all day plus they fall apart?
Debbie
Hi Sammy, I don’t think they will fall apart, but they taste better chilled! Dee xx
Brittany
Hi! I was wondering if there is an alternative I can use for the almond meal, as I’m allergic to almonds. Thanks 🙂
Debbie
Hi Brittany, buckwheat flour would be perfect. I know Bob’s Red Mill makes it. I have added that to the ingredients as a nut-free option!
Dee xx.
Özgür Özcan
Hi Debbie,
Will the buckwheat flour amount to be used the same as almond meal? (3/4 cups)
Debbie
Yes, 3/4 cups. Hope they turn out well for you! Dee xx
ruby
Hi. The recipe looks amazing. can you please clarify how much exactly are two squares of dark chocolate?
thanks
Debbie
Ruby! Thank you for writing, that is 1/4 of a 3.5 oz chocolate bar. I will update the recipe to make it clear for others! Dee xx.
Line
Looks soo good and easy. What do you do to the cashewnuts? Do put them in to water and for how long?
Best,
Line
Debbie
Line, it is best to soak cashews for at least 4 hours or even overnight (8 hours), drain the water and they will be soft and sweet and ready for the recipe. If you are in a rush, some people boil them for 10 minutes or so but I am afraid that will destroy nutrients. The goal is to soften them so they become creamy. Hope that helps! Dee xx
Mitra | Nutriholist
Can’t stop thinking about these decadent treats! Need to make them soon. Thanks for this great recipe Dee! Love your blog 🙂
Debbie
Hi Mitra! Thank you for your kind words! Love your rhubarb recipe tho..and yes, these treats are fun and will only get more numerous as the holidays near! Take care. Dee xx.
Klara
Oh wow Dee, these tastes looks so so delicious.
Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Klara xx
Debbie
Thank you Klara, still can’t get over those round apple tarts of yours. We ought to have a dessert party! Have a lovely week sweetie! Dee xx.