Chocolate Mint Tart

Chocolate mint tart is a built-in showpiece with a simple approach: a press-in shortbread crust, a smooth baked chocolate custard filling, and a glossy chocolate glaze. The mint stays intentionally light, just enough to cool the finish and sharpen the chocolate. Unlike candy-sweet mint desserts, this tart slices clean and eats like a soft truffle in a crisp shell.

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If you like this flavor combination, check out my mint chocolate bundt cakes next.

Here’s Why This Chocolate Mint Tart Recipe Works

Buttery shortbread: Melted butter and powdered sugar make the crust taste like a butter cookie, rich and toasty, with a fine crumb that still cuts clean instead of shattering.

Blind-bake insurance: Freezing the shell and using weights keeps the tart crust from slumping, shrinking, or puffing up on you.

Custard texture: Eggs and gentle oven heat turn the filling into a set chocolate custard with a truffle-like bite.

Mint that doesn’t taste like toothpaste: Adding mint extract in small increments lets you land on “cool finish” instead of “mouthwash.”

Mint Chocolate Tart

This mint chocolate tart is rich without being heavy, cool without tasting like candy, and tidy enough to slice like a bakery case dessert.

Make it the night before, let the glaze set fully, and serve it or just barely cool or let it sit out at room temperature.

If you’re into the mint-chocolate combo, my chocolate mint loaf cake leans softer and more snackable, with a tender crumb and a cool mint finish

You can also swap the pastry crust for my chocolate shortbread crust if you want to double down on cocoa and add a deeper, cookie-like snap under the mint chocolate filling.

Prep Time: 1 hour hr

Cook Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 2 hours hrs

4.67 from 9 votes

Chocolate-Mint Tart

By Pat Nyswonger

Chocolate mint tart with a buttery shortbread crust, silky baked chocolate custard filling, and a glossy chocolate glaze. Cool mint brightens the dark chocolate for clean slices and a crisp, cookie-like base.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: 12 servings

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Ingredients 

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For the Shortbread Crust:

• ▢ ½ cup powdered sugar, 60 grams
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 egg yolks, whisked lightly with a fork
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ cup butter, 113 grams; melted and cooled
• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour, 240 grams
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the Chocolate-Mint Filling:

• ▢ 2 cups heavy cream
• ▢ 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 14 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• ▢ 6 tablespoons butter, cut into thin slices and softened
• ▢ 3 large large eggs, lightly beaten, room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon mint extract

For the Glaze:

• ▢ ⅓ cup heavy cream
• ▢ 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• ▢ 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• ▢ 2 tablespoons water, hot
• ▢ fresh mint, for garnish

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Instructions 

For the Shortbread Crust:

• Lightly coat an 11-inch, removable bottom tart pan and set aside.
• In a medium-size bowl, using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix the powdered sugar, vanilla, egg yolks and salt. Add the cooled butter and mix to a smooth consistency then, add the flour and cornstarch and stir until the dough forms a smooth ball.
• Press about ⅔ of the dough firmly up the sides of the tart pan. Flatten the remaining dough into a disk and press it over the bottom. Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup or glass to smooth and compact the crust into an even layer.
• Prick the bottom and edges of the crust with a fork, place on a baking sheet and transfer to the freezer for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Remove the crust from the freezer, spray a piece of aluminum foil with non-stick spray and press the sprayed side of foil very tightly up against the bottom and up the sides of the crust. Add pie weights and transfer to the middle rack of the oven.
• Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake uncovered for another 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

For the Chocolate-Mint Filling:

• Reduce the oven temp to 250°F
• Bring cream, espresso powder and salt to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve.
• Meanwhile, place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth, then add the butter a few pieces at a time, stirring until fully melted and incorporated.
• Pour the beaten eggs through a fine-mesh strainer into the chocolate mixture and mix well. Add the mint in quarter teaspoon increments, tasting to just barely get a mint flavor.
• Pour the chocolate custard into the cooled crust. Tap the tart pan gently on the counter a few times to pop air bubbles, then set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake on the middle rack until the edges are set and the surface shows faint cracks, 30–35 minutes—the center will still look loose. Cool on the baking sheet at room temperature, then refrigerate uncovered until fully set, 3–4 hours or overnight.

For the Glaze:

• Remove the tart from the refrigerator and let it sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream and corn syrup to a simmer, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, add the chopped chocolate, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth, then stir in the hot water until the glaze is glossy and pourable.
• Pour the glaze into the center of the tart. Immediately lift and tilt the pan so the glaze flows to the edges, rotating as needed until fully covered. Don’t use a spatula—the surface won’t stay smooth. Let set at room temperature, then refrigerate 2–3 hours.
• Before serving, remove the outer rim of the tart pan, slip a thin bladed knife between the crust and metal bottom and slide the tart to a serving plate or cake stand.

Notes

Skip the whisk for ganache: Don’t use a wire whisk, it whips in air and gives you bubbles. Stir with a rubber or silicone spatula until smooth and glossy.

Anchor the tart on the stand: Smear 1 tablespoon of corn syrup in the center of your cake plate or pedestal, then set the tart on top. The syrup acts like edible glue so it won’t slide.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 346kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 27g, Cholesterol: 144mg, Sodium: 319mg, Fiber: 3.5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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We adapted the filling for this tart from Cook’s Illustrated Magazine, December 2013