This chocolate pistachio tart has four layers in a 9 inch tart pan: a crisp cocoa shell, a thin dark chocolate ganache, a cooked pistachio cream with whole roasted pistachios folded in, and a glossy chocolate top. It takes about 65 minutes of hands-on work and cuts into 12 slices.
Plan for the fridge, too. The dough rests for 30 minutes, and the layers need about 2 to 2¼ hours of chilling in total once the shell is baked. That waiting is the whole trick. Every layer goes onto a cold, set layer, so nothing melts or sinks, and the slices come out with clean stripes.
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- Cocoa shell: 1¼ cups (150 g) flour, ¼ cup (30 g) cocoa, ½ cup (115 g) cold butter, ⅓ cup (40 g) powdered sugar, 1 egg yolk and 1 to 2 tablespoons cold milk. It is the crunch.
- Bottom ganache: ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream and 100 g dark chocolate (at least 60%), with vanilla and a pinch of salt. It seals the shell so the pistachio layer cannot soften it.
- Pistachio cream: 1 cup (130 g) unsalted pistachios blended with ¼ cup milk, cooked with ½ cup cream, 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch, then ⅓ cup whole roasted pistachios folded in.
- Top ganache: ½ cup (120 ml) cream, 100 g dark chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter for shine.
Both ganaches use close to equal weights of cream and chocolate. That sets soft enough for a fork to slide through, yet firm enough to hold a layer on top. A truffle ganache uses far more chocolate and would crack when you slice.
Blind Baking the Cocoa Shell
Rub the cold butter into the flour, cocoa, powdered sugar and salt until it looks like coarse crumbs. Mix in the yolk, then add the cold milk 1 tablespoon at a time and stop as soon as the dough holds together. Wrap the disc and chill it for at least 30 minutes, or it will slump in the pan.
Press the dough into a 9 inch tart pan, trim the edge and prick the base. Line it with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes. Lift out the weights and bake 10 minutes more.
A cocoa crust is already dark, so you cannot judge it by color. Look for a dry, matte base and edges that feel firm, and you will smell baked brownies. If the base puffs up after the weights come out, press it down gently with the back of a spoon while it is still warm. Then let it cool completely.
The First Dark Chocolate Ganache Layer
Heat the cream only until small bubbles appear at the edge, then pour it over the chopped chocolate and leave it alone for 2 minutes. Stir from the center in small circles until it turns smooth and shiny, then add the vanilla and salt. Stirring hard beats in air bubbles you will see later in the cut slices.
Pour it into the cooled shell and chill for about 30 minutes. It is ready when the surface has lost its wet shine and feels set when you touch the edge. If you want the full method and ratios for other uses, my chocolate ganache recipe walks through it.
Cooking the Green Pistachio Cream
Blend the pistachios with the milk in a high-powered blender until smooth. A regular blender leaves tiny bits; if it feels gritty between your fingers, push it through a sieve. The color depends on the nuts. Skinned pistachios give a bright green, while pistachios with their skins on give the olive green you see in these photos.
Move the blend to a saucepan with the cream, sugar and cornstarch. Stir constantly over medium heat. Nothing happens for a few minutes, and then it thickens quickly, so stay with it. Take it off the heat once it is as thick as custard and holds a trail when you drag a spatula across the pan. Longer cooking turns the green dull.
Stir in the almond extract if you use it. A little deepens the nutty taste, but the cream is all pistachio without it. Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes; hot cream would melt the ganache underneath. Fold in ⅓ cup of whole roasted pistachios, spread it over the set ganache and chill for 30 to 45 minutes. The same cooked cream idea is behind my pistachio cream.
A Thin, Glossy Ganache on Top
Heat the second ½ cup of cream until it just simmers, then pour it over the chopped chocolate and the tablespoon of butter together. Stir until smooth and glossy. The butter is what gives the top its shine.
Give it a few minutes to cool so it feels warm, not hot. Pour it slowly onto the center of the tart, over the back of a spoon if your pistachio layer is soft, and let it spread outward. Smooth it with a spatula in as few strokes as you can. Sprinkle chopped or whole roasted pistachios around the edge and chill for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Is This a Dubai Chocolate Tart?
Not quite. It shares the Dubai pairing of dark chocolate and pistachio, but the crunch here comes from whole roasted pistachios, not toasted kataifi, the shredded phyllo pastry inside Dubai chocolate bars.
If the kataifi crunch is what you are after, my Dubai chocolate tart builds on a similar cocoa shell, and the Dubai chocolate filling shows how to toast the pastry and mix it with pistachio. You can also fold a handful of toasted kataifi into this pistachio cream in place of the whole nuts.
Pistachio Ganache or Pistachio Cream?
A pistachio ganache is usually white chocolate melted with cream and pistachio paste. It sets firm and sweet, like a truffle center. The green layer in this tart is a cooked cream thickened with cornstarch instead. It stays softer, tastes more of the nuts and less of sugar, and it cuts cleanly between the two dark ganaches.
For a true pistachio ganache, my homemade pistachio butter gives you the paste, and the pistachio ganache truffles show the white chocolate method. If you like the dark and green combination in a lighter form, try the pistachio mousse with chocolate ganache.
Slicing and Serving the Tart
Straight from the fridge the layers are firm and taste muted. Take the tart out 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Dip a thin, sharp knife in hot water, wipe it dry and cut, then clean it again before every slice. That keeps the green stripe from smearing into the chocolate.
I serve it plain. The crisp shell, soft cream and whole nuts already give you three textures. For a simpler chocolate-only version for the same pan, see my chocolate ganache tart.
Making the Tart a Day Ahead
I usually make this tart the evening before, so every layer is fully set. Covered in the fridge, it keeps for up to 3 days; the shell stays crisp because the bottom ganache protects it. I do not freeze it. The ganache can thaw unevenly and the cornstarch cream turns watery.
To travel, leave the tart in its pan, cover it with foil and keep it cold until you slice it.
Chocolate Pistachio Tart Questions
Can I use salted pistachios?
Use unsalted pistachios for the cream. Salted ones make the green layer taste salty against the chocolate. Lightly salted roasted nuts are fine for the garnish.
Can I make it with milk chocolate?
For the top layer, yes, though milk chocolate sets softer, so reduce the cream a little. Keep dark chocolate in the bottom layer; it has to stay firm under the pistachio cream.
What size pan do I need?
A 9 inch tart pan, ideally with a removable bottom so you can lift the tart out without breaking the edge.
Chocolate Pistachio Ganache Tart Recipe
This chocolate pistachio tart is a layered dessert made with a cocoa shortcrust shell, a dark chocolate ganache, a cooked pistachio cream and a glossy chocolate ganache top. It takes about 65 minutes of work plus around 2 hours of chilling, and one 9 inch tart pan gives 12 slices. Each layer goes onto a cold, set layer, so the pistachio cream stays in a clean green stripe between the two ganaches. Serve it as a make-ahead dinner party dessert, a holiday tart, or for anyone who loves pistachio chocolate desserts and Dubai chocolate flavors. Fold toasted kataifi in place of the whole nuts for crunch, and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
- FOR THE CHOCOLATE TART SHELL
- 1 1/4 cups (150g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/3 cup (40g) powdered sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1–2 tablespoons cold milk (as needed)
- Pinch of salt
- FOR THE BOTTOM GANACHE LAYER
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 100g dark chocolate (at least 60%), chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- FOR THE PISTACHIO LAYER
- 1 cup (130g) shelled unsalted pistachios (plus extra for garnish)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- FOR THE TOP GANACHE LAYER
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 100g dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- GARNISH
- Chopped or whole roasted pistachios
Instructions
- MAKE THE CHOCOLATE TART SHELL: In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and salt. Add the cubed cold butter and use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in the egg yolk, then add cold milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together. Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- BLIND BAKE THE SHELL: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out the chilled dough and press it into a 9-inch tart pan. Trim the edges and prick the base with a fork. Line the shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the weights and parchment, then bake for another 10 minutes. Let the crust cool completely before filling.
- PREPARE THE BOTTOM GANACHE LAYER: In a small saucepan, heat the cream just until it begins to simmer. Pour it over the chopped chocolate in a bowl and let it sit for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth, then mix in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Pour into the cooled tart shell and chill for 30 minutes, or until set.
- MAKE THE PISTACHIO CREAM LAYER: In a blender or food processor, blend the pistachios and milk until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan, add the heavy cream, sugar, and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens to a custard-like consistency. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract, if using. Let it cool for 5–10 minutes, then gently fold in about 1/3 cup of whole roasted pistachios. Spread evenly over the ganache layer. Chill the tart for another 30 to 45 minutes.
- PREPARE THE TOP GANACHE LAYER: Heat the cream in a saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Pour it over the chopped chocolate and butter in a bowl, then stir until smooth and glossy. Pour gently over the pistachio layer and smooth the top with a spatula.
- GARNISH AND CHILL: Sprinkle chopped or whole roasted pistachios around the edge of the tart for decoration. Chill for at least 1 hour before slicing to allow all layers to set properly.
Notes
Chilling: the dough needs 30 minutes, then the layers need about 2 to 2 1/4 hours in total (30 minutes for the bottom ganache, 30 to 45 for the pistachio cream, at least 1 hour after the top ganache). Pistachio color: skinned pistachios give a brighter green; blend in a high-powered blender and strain the mixture if it feels gritty. Take the pistachio cream off the heat as soon as it is thick, and cool it 5 to 10 minutes before spreading so it does not melt the ganache. Let the top ganache cool a few minutes and pour it onto the center. The tart can be made 1 day in advance and keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Do not freeze. Slice after 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature with a hot, dry knife.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 254Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 46mgSodium 68mgCarbohydrates 34gFiber 2gSugar 16gProtein 5g
Szia Emma! Annyira érthetően és részletesen írtad le a receptet, hogy megpróbálom elkészíteni a férjemnek a 41. házassági évfordulónkra.
Hi Judit, thank you for your kind words! That’s incredibly special—what a beautiful reason to bake. I hope the tart turns out wonderfully and that you both enjoy every bite. Wishing you a joyful 41st anniversary 💚
Hi Emma, the images show whole nuts through the pistachio custard but I don’t see it in the recipe or method?
You’re right, Trish. The photo clearly shows whole pistachios inside the custard layer, which isn’t reflected in the written method.
Here’s what likely happened: during one of my test batches, I folded in a handful of whole roasted pistachios after cooking the custard and before spreading it over the ganache. I ended up liking the texture and contrast it added, so I photographed that version — but forgot to update the recipe. Totally my miss.
If you’d like to recreate what’s shown in the image, just stir in about 1/3 cup of whole roasted pistachios into the pistachio cream once it’s cooled slightly. It adds a really nice bite.
I’ll go back and update the recipe to match. Appreciate you catching it 😊
Do you think it is possible to add kataifi to the pistachio part for additional crunch?
Yes, you definitely can! Lightly toasted kataifi would bring an interesting crunch, especially if layered on top of the pistachio cream before the final ganache. Just keep it crisp. I’d bake it separately and add it right before serving so it doesn’t soften. I’ve done that with similar tarts and it works. Let me know if you try it 😊
Hi Emma,
I came across your website for fhe first time. Althoigh I have not yet made the chocolate pistachio tart yet, I truly appreciated the clear instructions and steps you have given to make this delicious looking tart.
I shall let you know when I make it to give you my feedback.
Hi Habiba, thank you for the kind words! I’m glad the instructions felt clear. I always try to make the process approachable and enjoyable. I’d absolutely love to hear how it goes once you try the tart. Looking forward to your feedback!
I made 2 of these desserts. Neither looked like your pictures in regarding the pistachio cream. Mine is not as green nor has the height that yours does. It was tasty but I am discouraged with your pics.
You are right to call that out. The pistachio layer can look less green depending on the pistachios, and it can sit lower if that custard layer stays a little softer before chilling. Cook it until it thickens clearly, let the first ganache set fully, then chill the pistachio layer 30 to 45 minutes before adding the top ganache. It should still taste good, but I get why the look was frustrating.