This velvety vegan chocolate tart is made with a toasted hazelnut crust for an incredibly decadent and delicious vegan dessert. It is a sweet treat perfect for any occasion. Vegan, gluten, and made with just 8 ingredients!
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This post is sponsored by iHerb. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.
If you are a chocolate fan then this vegan chocolate tart is for you! The combination of thick, creamy, chocolate ganache filling poured over a toasted nut crust makes this dessert a total crowd-pleaser.
No need to feel guilty after a slice of this vegan tart either. Skip the traditional flour-based pie crust and make a hazelnut and almond flour base instead for a decadent dessert recipe that is vegan, dairy free, AND gluten free! But, worry not! It is rich, indulgent, and full of bold seasonal flavors.
As an added bonus, this chocolate tart only takes 30 minutes to prepare. Let the freezer do the rest of the work! Take the guesswork out of vegan desserts this holiday season and create something memorable and wholesomely delicious.
Recommended Ingredients & Substitutions
This decadent chocolate tart is way simpler than you might think. To make it even more convenient, I got most of my ingredients for this recipe at iHerb. That’s groceries shipped right to my door! It doesn’t get easier than that.
Here is everything you need.
Ingredient Notes
- Raw Hazelnuts – Look for raw unsalted hazelnuts such as Wilderness Poets Oregon Hazelnuts.
- Chocolate Chips – High quality vegan chocolate is a must! The chocolate used will have a significant impact on the overall taste of the tart. I recommend Equal Exchange Organic Chocolate Chips
- Maple Syrup – This recipe is sweetened with maple syrup for the best blend of autumnal flavors. I use Now Foods Organic Maple Syrup. For an alternative, feel free to use agave nectar. Note: agave nectar is sweeter than maple syrup. Start with 1/2 the recommended amount before tasting and adjusting for sweetness.
- Vanilla – Use pure vanilla extract for the best results. I recommend trying Simply Organic Madagascar Vanilla. For a fun flavor twist, you can also sub in ½ teaspoon of almond extract instead.
- Almond FLour: For this recipe, I used Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Almond Flour. This is the best almond flour you can find!
- Coconut Oil – I use California Gold Nutrition Cold Pressed Coconut Oil. Coconut oil hardens as it chills and is the only oil that will give this tart it’s melt-in-your-mouth texture.
What is iHerb?
iHerb is an online store filled with over 30,000 natural and organic products ranging from home, beauty, food, pets, supplements, personal care, and more.
iHerb carries top-quality brands – ones that you probably recognize – and ships from climate-controlled distribution centers to ensure quality products to over 180 countries around the world!
Not only do they have everything I want, but also their shipping is fast and their prices are great. iHerb is convenient, affordable, and I am certain to get top-quality ingredients. Give it a try and grab the ingredients you need for this mini cherry pie recipe!
How iHerb Works
Picking out items at iHerb is super easy. Because they only carry the best brands, you don’t have to look through a lot of products to find the good ones. Simply type in what you’re looking for in the search bar and review your selections.
Once you fill up your cart, review it, select shipping and payment methods, and you’re good to go. iHerb offers customer service 5 days a week in 10 different languages, making it an easy and convenient online shopping experience.
Mini Grocery Haul
One of the best features of iHerb is the Vegan Grocery Section which is filled with over 1000 vegan groceries. I love to shop for many of my non-perishable foods here. By shopping in the vegan grocery section of iHerb, I can grab my favorite snacks and staples without having to spend time reading all the ingredients. And from the comfort of my own home. It’s a win-win!
This past mini grocery haul included some of my favorite items such as:
- Cocoa Lover’s Organic Cocoa Powder
- Peanut Butter & Co. Peanut Butter Spread
- Jovial Organic Brown Rice Pasta
- Now Foods Real Food Organic Raw Cashews
- Simple Mills Crunchy Almond Flour Cookies
- Bob’s Red Mill Pan-Baked Granola
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One – Make the Crust
Place the hazelnuts in a food processor and blend until they form a fine even crumb. With the motor running, add the remaining crust ingredients. Process until the dough starts to come together.
The dough should stick together when pressed between your fingers. If the dough is too dry, add 1-2 teaspoons of water and process until well incorporated.
Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined tart pan and spread evenly over the bottom and sides, making sure it is tightly packed. If the crust is not packed, it might fall apart in the oven.
Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown and fragrant. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10-15 minutes.
Step Two – Make the Filling
Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Heat the coconut milk over medium heat to a scald, just before it boils. Pour the hot milk over the chocolate chips and cover for 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir together until the filling is smooth and glossy. Taste and adjust flavors.
Step Three – Assemble & Freeze
Finely chop 3/4 cup of hazelnuts and mix them into the chocolate ganache.
Pour the filling into the prepared tart crust and smooth out the top. Garnish with shaved chocolate and toasted hazelnuts.
Wrap the tart in plastic and place it in the refrigerator. Chill for at least 6 hours. Once the tart is completely set, remove it from the fridge and serve.
Serving and Storing
Serving – When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator and slice. Serve with coconut whipped cream, chopped hazelnuts, and chocolate shavings.
Storing – Tightly wrap the leftover tart and store in the refrigerator for 1 week or the freezer for up to 2 months.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure to place parchment at the bottom of your tart pan. Otherwise the crust may stick to the pan.
- Keep a close eye on the crust when it is in the oven. It will burn quickly.
- Make sure the crust is mostly cooled before adding the filling.
- Don’t directly heat the chocolate chips. You may be tempted to throw the chocolate chips in the microwave, but chocolate can easily burn with direct heat. Use the heat from the coconut milk to melt them instead.
- Serve chilled. This tart will start to soften if left out at room temperature too long.
- Feel free to substitute maple syrup with agave nectar. If you are doing this, cut the amount in half. Alternatively, if you like a more bitter flavor, omit the maple syrup all together.
Frequently Asked Questions
For sure! Feel free to make this recipe several days in advance. Store the tart, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
Coconut milk is thick and rich and is most similar to heavy cream, which is traditionally used in chocolate ganache. However, if you don’t like the flavor of coconut, you could use a neutral-flavored non-dairy milk such as cashew or soy. Note: Different types of milk will result in slightly less rich textures.
For sure! Feel free to substitute with your favorite nut. Other nuts I recommend are pecans, walnuts, or pistachios.
This tart is meant to be served chilled. Make sure the tart is chilled all the way through (at least 6 hours) before serving. Once at room temperature, the tart will start to melt. Serve within 20 minutes of pulling from the refrigerator and store any leftovers in the freezer immediately.
More iHerb Recipes
Loving iHerb and wanna find more inspired recipes?
- 20-Minute Kung Pao Tofu
- Vegan Cherry Pie Cups
- Chipotle Butternut Squash Chili
- Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Pumpkin Pie Date Bars
Vegan Chocolate Tart
Ingredients
Toasted Hazelnut Crust
- 1 cup Raw Hazelnuts
- 1 cup Almond Flour
- 1/4 cup Coconut Oil, melted
- 3 tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
Chocolate Filling
- 1/2 cup Coconut Milk
- 1 1/2 cup Vegan Chocolate Chips
- 1/4 cup Maple Syrup
- 1/2 cup Coconut Oil
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 3/4 cup Hazelnuts, finely chopped
Toppings (optional)
- Shaved Chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 10” tart pan with parchment paper. Spray the pan and set it aside
- Place the hazelnuts in a food processor and blend until they form a fine even crumb. With the motor running, add the remaining crust ingredients. Process until the dough starts to come together. The dough should stick together when pressed between your fingers. If the dough is too try, add 1-2 teaspoons of water and process until well incorporated.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared tart pan and spread evenly over the bottom and sides, making sure it is tightly packed. If the crust is not packed, it might fall apart in the oven. Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown and fragrant. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- To make the ganache, place the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Heat the coconut milk over medium heat to a scald, just before it boils. Pour the hot milk over the chocolate chips and cover for 3 to 5 minutes.Add the remaining ingredients and stir together until the filling is smooth and glossy. Taste and adjust flavors.
- Finely chop ¾ cup of hazelnuts and mix them into the chocolate ganache. Pour the filling into the prepared tart crust and smooth out the top. Wrap the tart in plastic and place it in the refrigerator. Chill for at least 6 hours. Once the tart is completely set, remove it from the fridge and serve.
Notes
- Make sure to place parchment at the bottom of your tart pan. Otherwise, the crust may stick to the pan.
- Keep a close eye on the crust when it is in the oven. It will burn quickly.
- Make sure the crust is mostly cooled before adding the filling.
- Don’t directly heat the chocolate chips.You may be tempted to throw the chocolate chips in the microwave, but chocolate can easily burn with direct heat. Use the heat from the coconut milk to melt them instead.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Meagan Peoples says
I used to make this all the time but haven’t in probably a year. Life for busy. I went to make it tonight to bring to a friend tomorrow and realized this recipe has been completely changed. Id love to have the original again if that’s an option.
Deb Z says
I know you are using coconut oil to firm up the cake. I think this oil is extremely high in saturated fats. What can I sub for this oil if possible?
Thanks in advance.
Terri says
This was amazing! I made this for dessert this Christmas and it was a hit! I didn’t put the chopped hazelnuts in because it wasn’t written in the printed recipe, it was only in the blog part. It didn’t matter though, because it was still delicious! Restaurant quality for sure! I topped it with chopped toasted hazelnuts and vegan whipped cream. I can’t wait to make it again for another special occasion. Also I didn’t have raw hazelnuts, so I used pistachios for the crust with a few toasted hazelnuts in there. It’s all amazing. So happy I found your food blog! Thank you.
Rilyn says
Could I use this crust for a vegan cheesecake?
KC says
Can maple syrup be substituted with honey? If so, how much honey?