If you’re a chocolate lover, this chocolate tart (crostata al cioccolato) is going to be your new favorite dessert!
It’s a traditional Italian dessert that combines a buttery, crumbly chocolate pastry crust (pasta frolla al cioccolato) with a rich and smooth chocolate filling.
The recipe comes from Italy, where crostata is a popular dessert, and this version with chocolate is simply irresistible.
You can serve it at a dinner party or enjoy it as a sweet treat with your family. Either way, it's a guaranteed success!
This recipe is simple to follow and uses ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, like flour, butter, sugar, and of course, lots of chocolate. The crust is made from scratch, giving the tart a homemade feel that everyone will appreciate.
The beauty of this Italian chocolate tart is its versatility. You can enjoy it as is, with its deep chocolate flavor, or pair it with fresh fruit like raspberries or strawberries for a touch of freshness. You can also add a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top or a dollop of whipped cream for extra indulgence.
This crostata al cioccolato is perfect for any occasion: a birthday, a holiday, or just a weekend treat. It will quickly become a favorite in your home!
Ingredients
- Prep Time: 40 Min
- Resting Time: 30 Min
- Cook Time: 45 Min
- Servings: 6
Doses for a 9 inch (22 cm) non-stick tart pan with removable bottom
For the Chocolate Pasta Frolla
- 200 g (1 ⅓ cups) of “00” flour
- 100 g (½ cup) of granulated sugar
- 40 g (⅓ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 120 g (~1 stick) of unsalted cold butter
- 1 medium egg, at room temperature
- 1 medium egg yolk, at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 4 g (1 teaspoon) of baking powder
For the Chocolate Cream
- 4 medium egg yolks
- 80 g (~⅓ cup) of granulated sugar
- 40 g (⅓ cup) of flour
- 400 ml (1 ¾ cups) of whole fresh milk
- 200 g (7 oz) of dark Chocolate
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
Make the Chocolate Crust
Step 1) - To make your chocolate tart, start by placing the butter and flour into a food processor. Pulse the machine until the butter is mixed into the flour and the texture looks like fine sand.
Step 2) - Next, add the sugar, eggs, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt to the food processor. Blend everything together until a dough starts to form and it begins to come together. Once the dough has formed, pour it onto your work surface and quickly knead it by hand until the dough is smooth and even.
Step 3) - Now, divide the dough into two portions. Take one part, weighing about 280 g (10 oz), and roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper until you have a rectangle 5 mm (0.20 inch) high. You will use this part to cut out the strips for the top of the tart. With the remaining dough, roll it into a disk with the same heigth (between two sheets of parchment paper).
Place both the rectangle and the disk in the fridge to rest and firm up for about 30 minutes.
For more information, tricks and variations read our recipe Italian Chocolate Shortcrust Pastry (Pasta Frolla al Cacao)
Prepare the Chocolate Cream
Step 4) - While the dough is chilling, start making the chocolate cream filling. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and heat it until it’s just about to boil.
In a separate saucepan, mix the egg yolks with the sugar, flour, and a pinch of salt.
Step 5) - When the milk is hot, slowly add it to the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
Step 6) - Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking continuously until the cream thickens. Once it has thickened, remove it from the heat and add the chocolate cut into smal pieces. Stir until they are completely melted and smooth. Cover the cream with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface, and let it cool at romm temperature.
For more information, tricks and variations read our recipe Chocolate Pastry Cream (Crema Pasticcera al Cioccolato)
Assemble and Bake the Tart
Step 7) - Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Use the disk to line a greased and floured pie pan with a removable bottom. Work the excess dough around the edges to thicken them. Then poke holes in the bottom with a fork, being careful not to go all the way through the dough. Use the prongs of a fork to press the edge for decoration.
Step 8) - Pour the chocolate cream filling into the tart shell and spread it evenly with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
Step 9) - Cut 1.5 cm (~½ inch) wide strips from the rectangle of dough you rolled earlier, and arrange them on top of the cream to create a lattice pattern with diamond shapes.
The Baking
Step 10) - Preheat your oven (static) to 175°C (347°F). Bake the chocolate tart for 30-35 minutes, or until it’s fully cooked. Once done, take the tart out of the oven and let it cool completely.
Finally, remove the tart from the pan and place it on your serving plate. Now, your delicious Italian chocolate tart is ready to be enjoyed!
YOU MUST ALSO TRY:
- Classic Italian Chocolate Cake (Torta al Cioccolato)
Storage
You can store your chocolate tart under a glass cake dome for 3-4 days. If you want to freeze it, cut it into squares or slices and freeze them. The tart will keep in the freezer for up to one month.
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
Here’s a list of the tools you may need to make this chocolate tart
- Food Processor – Used to blend the dough ingredients quickly and easily until you get the right texture.
- Rolling Pin – Needed to roll out the dough into even shapes for the base and the topping strips.
- Parchment Paper – Helps prevent the dough from sticking while rolling it out, making it easier to handle.
- 9 inch Tart Pan with Removable Bottom (22 cm) – A special pan used for tarts, with a removable base that makes it easy to take out the tart after baking.
- Whisk – Necessary to mix and thicken the cream smoothly without lumps.
Variations
Classic Pastry Crust without Cocoa
For a more traditional take, you can replace the cocoa dough with a classic Italian shortcrust pastry (pasta frolla). To do this, simply leave out the cocoa powder from the original recipe.
This variation will give your tart a buttery, golden crust that pairs beautifully with the rich chocolate cream filling.
Tart with Cold Chocolate Cream
In this version, you will bake the pastry crust separately and fill it with cold chocolate cream after it has cooled.
Prepare the dough as in the original recipe (with or without cocoa, depending on your preference).
Roll out the dough and line the tart pan with the disk, trimming the excess.
Poke holes in the base with a fork, then cover the dough with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans to prevent it from puffing up during baking.
Preheat the static oven to 175°C (347°F) and bake the tart crust for 20-25 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and weights halfway through to allow the bottom to cook fully.
Let the tart shell cool completely on a rack before filling it with the cold chocolate cream
You can top it with fresh fruit, whipped cream, or chocolate shavings if desired.
This version results in a crisp, pre-baked tart shell filled with a smooth, cool chocolate cream—perfect for warm days or when you prefer a chilled dessert.
Recipe Card
Italian Chocolate Tart (Crostata al Cioccolato)
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Pasta Frolla
- 200 g flour 1 ⅓ cups
- 100 g granulated sugar ½ cup
- 40 g cocoa powder ⅓ cup, unsweetened
- 120 g butter ~1 stick, unsalted and cold
- 1 egg medium size, at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk medium size, at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 g baking powder 1 teaspoon
For the Chocolate Cream
- 4 egg yolks medium size
- 80 g granulated sugar ~⅓ cup
- 40 g flour ⅓ cup
- 400 ml milk 1 ¾ cups, whole and fresh
- 200 g dark Chocolate 7 oz
- salt a pinch
Instructions
Make the Chocolate Crust
- To make your chocolate tart, start by placing the butter and flour into a food processor. Pulse the machine until the butter is mixed into the flour and the texture looks like fine sand.
- Next, add the sugar, eggs, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt to the food processor. Blend everything together until a dough starts to form and it begins to come together. Once the dough has formed, pour it onto your work surface and quickly knead it by hand until the dough is smooth and even.
- Now, divide the dough into two portions. Take one part, weighing about 280 g (10 oz), and roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper until you have a rectangle 5 mm (0.20 inch) high. You will use this part to cut out the strips for the top of the tart. With the remaining dough, roll it into a disk with the same heigth (between two sheets of parchment paper).
- Place both the rectangle and the disk in the fridge to rest and firm up for about 30 minutes.
Prepare the Chocolate Cream
- While the dough is chilling, start making the chocolate cream filling. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and heat it until it’s just about to boil.
- In a separate saucepan, mix the egg yolks with the sugar, flour, and a pinch of salt.
- When the milk is hot, slowly add it to the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking continuously until the cream thickens. Once it has thickened, remove it from the heat and add the chocolate cut into smal pieces. Stir until they are completely melted and smooth. Cover the cream with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface, and let it cool at romm temperature.
Assemble and Bake the Tart
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Use the disk to line a greased and floured pie pan with a removable bottom. Work the excess dough around the edges to thicken them. Then poke holes in the bottom with a fork, being careful not to go all the way through the dough. Use the prongs of a fork to press the edge for decoration.
- Pour the chocolate cream filling into the tart shell and spread it evenly with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Cut 1.5 cm (~½ inch) wide strips from the rectangle of dough you rolled earlier, and arrange them on top of the cream to create a lattice pattern with diamond shapes.
- Preheat your oven (static) to 175°C (347°F). Bake the chocolate tart for 30-35 minutes, or until it’s fully cooked. Once done, take the tart out of the oven and let it cool completely.
- Finally, remove the tart from the pan and place it on your serving plate. Now, your delicious Italian chocolate tart is ready to be enjoyed!
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