Recipe for Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart with a Pretzel Crust
A chocolate ganache tart with a surprising secret ingredient
It’s fairly well known that mustard is historically aphrodisiac. This spicy seed and the condiment made from it were once considered so tempting that they were banned from monasteries. An aphrodisiac, yes, but an ingredient in a chocolate ganache tart? That’s right! The secret to the subtly spicy, intensely flavored tart is honey Dijon mustard in the crust!
Leave it to mustard people to figure out how the sharp tang of spicy, French mustard could live in harmony with France’s other great treasure, chocolate. The great minds at Maille, one of my favorite mustard producers, prove that the two can be a match made in heaven with this odd sounding yet deeply satisfying recipe.
Want to try my favorite Maille mustard? You won’t believe the decadent ingredient!
If you’re thinking, “maybe not,” I understand. It took a considerable amount of coaxing to get me to try it–much less share it with our readers. But there is, without question, an aphrodisiac pleasure to the combination of sweet, earthy, salty and spicy ingredients in this chocolate ganache tart.
A blissful marriage of chocolate and pretzels
If you’re still not sold on the concept of mustard in your chocolate ganache tart, I ask you to consider the pretzel. An ingredient that belongs both with the sweet rich flavor of melt-in-your-mouth dark chocolate and with the stinging kiss of mustard, pretzel is this recipe’s bridge ingredient.
Dijon and salty mini pretzels give this tart a complexity of flavor a chocolate ganache tart in a traditional, butter and white flour pastry shell lacks. This unusual tart crust challenges the taste buds with unexpected flavors. And it is a dessert you’re sure to never forget. Just be warned, you’re likely to wake up in the night craving seconds.
This recipe can make either one 9.5-inch tart or six individual tartlets.
Want more chocolate recipes? Check out all of our favorite ways to bake with chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart with Honey Dijon Pretzel Crust
Ingredients
For the Tart Shells
- 1/2 cup salted butter room temperature
- 3/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 4 tbsp Maille® Honey Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 3/4 cup salted mini-pretzels crushed (reserve a few pretzels intact)
For the Ganache
- 10 oz dark chocolate chips or baking bar) melted
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 12 oz dark chocolate chopped, 3 baking bars of 4each
- sea salt for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- In a standing mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth for approximately 30 seconds.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar, Maille Honey Dijon mustard and the pretzels. Blend on a low speed until incorporated.
- Then slowly add the flour, egg and salt. Blend.
- Finally, add 4-6 whole mini-pretzels to the batter and blend quickly — just breaking them up but leave the pieces large enough to add a fun crunch to the crust.
- Remove the dough from the mixer and wrap in plastic wrap for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
- Let dough warm up on the counter for approximately 25 minutes before rolling out for individual tartlettes or a tart pan.
- To bake the tart(s):
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Prepare six fluted, mini tartlet pans (with removable bottom) or a regular size (9.5-inch) fluted tart pan with removable bottom with baking spray followed by a dusting of flour.
- Roll the dough out to about one quarter inch thick, if the dough breaks, just pinch it back together.
- Place into your pan(s) gently. (Any breaking or cracking can be pinched back together or you can use excess pieces for filling in — this dough is very forgiving.)
- Press gently into the fluted pan and then poke the bottom of the crust several times with a fork. This will allow the steam to escape.
- Form the crust right to the top edge of the tart pan, running a knife along the edge to remove any excess dough.
- Bake for approximately 18-22 minutes for tartlette or longer for a full tart, until golden brown. (Since oven temperatures vary, the golden outer edge will be the best way to indicate that the crust is ready.)
- Remove and let cool completely. The crust will firm up to a lovely crunchy texture as it cools.
- When your tart shells are completely cooled, paint in the inside of each tartlette or tart with a thin coating of melted dark chocolate. Refrigerate.
- While the chocolate-coated tart shell cools, over medium heat warm the heavy cream.
- Once it begins to boil, turn the heat off and add the chopped chocolate and whisk vigorously. The mixture will resemble a dark chocolate pudding.
- Keep whisking for 2-3 minutes, then let the mixture cool completely (about 30 minutes).
- Once cooled, pour into your prepared shell or shells, and top each with a sprinkling of sea salt.
- Refrigerate until the ganache becomes firm.
- Make up to four days ahead (store tarts at room temperature).
Chef’s tip:
- For an extra aphrodisiac indulgence, garnish with freshly whipped cream and raspberries before serving.
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