This Nutella Tart recipe consists of a chocolate tart crust, Nutella ganache, Nutella mousse and a plaid design on top made with white chocolate ganache. This is a Nutella lover's dream dessert!
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A plaid design has been on my mind for a bit now. At first I thought it would be cool on top of a cheesecake, but when in doubt I always go for a tart. Thus this Nutella tart was born! I took inspiration from Sugar & Sparrow and Whisk Affair for the ganache and mousse components.
This is my first recipe using Nutella, but I have always been a chocolate lover. I took the chocolate tart crust recipe from my Chocolate Spider Web Halloween Tarts and the white chocolate ganache inspiration from my Kiwi Chia Tart.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- This tart looks intricate, but it is really just Nutella and cream at different temperatures and in different forms.
- Although there are many components, they are very easy to make.
- This tart has a great nutella flavor!
- The design is easily customizable.
- One egg recipe.
Ingredients
- This recipe uses cake flour in the shell for a tender crust.
- Butter and eggs bind the crust.
- Cocoa powder brings a rich chocolate flavor to the crust.
- Nutella flavors this tart in the ganache and mousse.
- This tart contains heavy whipping cream which makes for a creamy mousse and rich ganaches.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and variations
Here’s how to customize this tart to your liking:
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- No white chocolate — finish this tart with the leftover nutella ganache or make a dark chocolate ganache (200g dark chocolate to 100g heavy whipping cream)
- Oreo crust — make or buy an oreo cookie crust instead of a chocolate tart crust
- Vanilla crust — try my vanilla tart crust recipe instead
- Easier design — make blobs of the different ganaches and swirl with a toothpick
This recipe has not been tested with any substitutions or variations. If you try any, please let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
How to assemble Nutella tart
Step 1: Line the bottom of the tart crust with just enough Nutella ganache to coat.
Step 2: Pipe or spoon the Nutella mousse into the tart crust.
Step 3: Pour the majority of the white chocolate ganache over the mousse.
Step 4: Combine a few tablespoons of the Nutella and white chocolate ganaches together to create a third caramel-colored ganache. Pipe lines in a plaid pattern, if desired.
Hot tips
- Make sure the ganaches are all the same temperature to achieve the plaid design. Work quickly and/or reheat the ganaches in short bursts in the microwave, if needed.
- Save the scraps from the tart shell to mend any cracks. Just place a small piece of dough into any cracks right after baking. The residual heat from baking will cook the dough.
- I used a very small round tip for the darker ganache lines and a slightly larger round tip for the caramel-colored ganache lines.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, just use 1 ½ tablespoons less all-purpose flour than what is called for in cake flour.
This is not recommended as the recipe has not been tested without the egg.
Store a mousse tart in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
More recipes you'll love
Lastly, if you make this Nutella Tart recipe be sure to leave a comment or give it a rating. I love to see when people make my recipes, so please tag me @youthsweets on Instagram if you post!
📖 Recipe
Nutella Tart
Equipment
Ingredients
Chocolate tart dough
- ¾ cup cake flour (100g)
- 2 ½ tablespoon almond flour (15g)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (45g)
- 2 tablespoon cocoa powder (15g)
- pinch salt
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter cold cut in ¼-inch cubes (55g)
- 1 large egg beaten
Nutella ganache
- 1 cup nutella (300g)
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream (60g)
Nutella mousse
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream chilled (235g)
- ⅓ cup nutella (100g)
White chocolate ganache
- 1 cup white chocolate chips heaping (200g)
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream (70g)
Instructions
Do Ahead
- The tart dough can be made a few days ahead of time, wrapped tightly and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Cut up a large gallon plastic bag or other thin plastic packaging into sheets to roll your dough between.
Make tart dough
- Sift together cake flour, almond flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt into a food processor.
- Add cold butter pieces and pulse until a sandy texture forms. The mixture should hold shape in a clump when pressed into your palm.
- Stream in ½ the egg with the processor running. Process just until a ball forms, then stop so as to not overmix. Add more egg if necessary. Cover the dough in plastic wrap, flattening into a disk. Rest in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours, or overnight.
- Place a sheet of plastic or parchment paper on the counter. Place the rested disk of dough on top. Place another sheet of plastic or parchment over the disk. Roll out with a rolling pin until ¼-inch thick.
- Remove the top sheet of plastic or parchment. Transfer to a 9-inch tart or pie pan, peeling away the other layer of plastic after pushing the dough into the bottom and the sides of the pan. If the plastic is sticking too much, pop the whole thing into the freezer for 10 minutes and then remove the plastic.
- Slice off the excess dough away from the edges of the pan, saving these bits in case you need to patch a crack after baking*. Prick the bottom with a fork all over. Place a circle of wrinkled parchment paper larger than the pan inside the tart. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Set the pan in the freezer to freeze solid for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Remove parchment and pie weights and bake again until the bottom looks dry, about 5-10 more minutes. Let cool completely.
Make the nutella ganache
- Combine the 1 cup of nutella with the ¼ cup heavy cream in a heatproof bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, whisking in between, until they are combined and smooth.
- Pour some of the ganache into the bottom of the tart crust, just enough to coat the bottom to prevent the mousse from making the crust soggy. Save the rest for decorating.
Make the nutella mousse
- Beat 1 cup of cold heavy whipping cream in a stand mixer or with hand beaters until stiff peaks.
- Remove a large spoonful of the whipped cream to the ⅓ cup nutella in a medium bowl. Beat together. Add this mixture to the rest of the whipped cream. Gently fold together with a rubber spatula.
- Pipe or spoon the mousse on top of the nutella ganache-lined tart crust.
Make the white chocolate ganache
- In a heat-proof bowl, combine the heaping 1 cup of white chocolate and ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream. Heat over a bain-marie (on medium heat) or in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Whisk until completely homogenous (all of the chocolate is melted).
- At this point, if you have an immersion blender, blend until lightened in color to emulsify the ganache. See notes if you do not have an immersion blender**.
Assemble and decorate
- If you want to achieve the plaid pattern, you will need to work somewhat quickly to keep all of the ganaches a similar temperature. If it seems like one is cooling off and thickening, reheat in the microwave in short bursts. I also recommend practicing your line piping on a piece of parchment before starting on the tart.
- To make the caramel-colored ganache: Mix 3 tablespoons of the nutella ganache with about 3 tablespoons of the white chocolate ganache. Adjust according to your desired shade. Transfer the nutella ganache and the caramel shade ganache to piping bags fitted with small round tips.
- Pour the rest of the white chocolate ganache on top of the nutella mousse and spread to the edges with an offset spatula.
- Pipe lines of the caramel-colored ganache first, using my photos as a guide. Essentially, pipe a wide grid pattern.
- Next, pipe skinny lines of the nutella ganache in narrow sets of three within the caramel-colored grid. Again, view my photos for reference.
- Let chill completely in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight before slicing.
