This chocolate orange ganache tart has a crisp pâte sucrée shell and a silky orange-infused chocolate ganache. The ganache is made by steeping fresh orange zest in warm cream before pouring it over dark chocolate, so the orange flavor is right throughout.

A chocolate tart with a golden crust, topped with chocolate shavings and sea salt, has one slice slightly pulled out. In the background, a plate with orange slices is blurred. The tart is on a white surface.

About this chocolate orange tart

This is one of those tarts where simple is the whole point. There are really only two parts- a crisp tart shell and a smooth, rich chocolate ganache infused with orange.
The orange flavor comes from infusing fresh orange zest directly in the warm cream before it gets poured over the chocolate. This gives the ganache a natural orange flavor that runs through the whole filling rather than just sitting on top. It’s more subtle and rounded than using an extract, and it pairs beautifully with dark chocolate.
I use my pâte sucrée for the shell. It’s the perfect match here because it bakes up crisp and sturdy, which is exactly what you need with a soft ganache filling. It holds its shape, slices cleanly, and gives you that satisfying snap when you bite through the crust into the silky chocolate.
The ganache uses a ratio of about 1.75 parts chocolate to 1 part cream, which is pretty traditional for a French chocolate tart. It sets firm enough to slice cleanly straight from the fridge but softens to a smooth, rich, almost truffle-like texture at room temperature. A little butter stirred in at the end gives it an extra glossy finish and a rounder flavor.

Key ingredients and why

Pâte sucrée: This is a crisp French sweet tart dough that gives the shell structure. It holds up well against the soft ganache and slices cleanly, even when cold from the fridge.
Dark chocolate: The star of the filling. Use a good-quality dark chocolate in the 60-70% cocoa range.
Heavy cream: The cream gets warmed with the orange zest, giving it time to absorb all that citrus flavor before it’s strained and poured over the chocolate.
Fresh orange zest: The zest is where all the fragrant orange oils are. You want to use just the bright orange outer layer and avoid the white pith underneath, which is bitter.
Butter: A small amount stirred in at the end while the ganache is still warm. It adds gloss, richness.
Salt: Just a pinch to enhance the flavors

Method

Pâte sucrée

I have a full photo step by step pâte sucrée recipe post on the blog so I won’t go through those steps here. You can find full step-by-step photos and instructions in my pâte sucrée recipe post.

Hands rolling out yellow dough with a wooden rolling pin on a white marble surface.

Roll the dough out to 3-4 mm thick on a lightly floured surface.

Hands trimming excess pie dough from the edge of a tart pan with a knife on a white marble surface.

Fit the dough into the tart pan, pressing it gently into the edges and cut off the excess.

A person uses a fork to poke holes in the bottom of an unbaked pie crust in a round tart pan on a marble countertop.

Dock the base with a fork to prevent puffing during baking.

Two hands hold a round baking pan lined with crumpled parchment paper and filled with uncooked rice, likely being used for blind baking a pie crust. The scene is set on a white marble surface.

Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights for blind baking.

Orange ganache

A hand holds a small bowl of orange zest over a saucepan filled with cream, next to a whisk on a white marble surface.

Add the cream and orange zest to a saucepan. Warm it, then take it off the heat and let the orange zest steep for 15-20 minutes.

A person chops a bar of dark chocolate into small pieces on a round wooden cutting board placed on a white marble surface.

While the cream steeps, finely chop the chocolate and place it in a large heatproof bowl.

A person pours a creamy mixture from a saucepan through a fine mesh sieve, straining it over a white marble surface.

Reheat the cream until it just simmers again, then strain it through a fine mesh sieve over the chocolate. Discard the zest.

A person’s hands mixing a light batter with melted chocolate in a glass bowl using a spatula on a white marble surface.

Let it sit for 1-2 minutes, then stir gently from the center outward until the ganache is completely smooth and glossy.

Two hands are mixing smooth, dark chocolate batter in a glass bowl with a spatula on a white marble surface.

Stir in the butter and salt until fully combined, then add triple sec or Cointreau if using.

A hand pours glossy melted chocolate from a glass bowl into a baked tart crust sitting on a wire rack over a marble surface.

Pour the ganache into the cooled tart shell. Gently tilt the pan to spread it evenly.

Tips

Chop the chocolate finely. The smaller the pieces, the more evenly the hot cream will melt them. If you have any unmelted pieces after stirring, place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stir gently until smooth. Don’t use a microwave, as it’s too easy to overheat and split the ganache.
Steep the zest long enough. The 15-20 minute steep is what gives the ganache its orange flavor.
Stir gently. Full on whisking adds air bubbles into the ganache, which can ruin the glossy finish. Use a spatula or spoon and stir slowly from the center outward.
Don’t pour hot ganache into a warm shell. Both the shell and the ganache should be at the right temperature. The shell should be fully cooled. The ganache should still be warm and pourable (around 35-40°C / 95-105°F) but not so hot that it softens the crust.
Boost the orange (optional): For a stronger orange hit, add 1 tablespoon of Grand Marnier or Cointreau to the ganache along with the butter. Stick to 1 Tbsp, as more alcohol can soften the ganache set and make it harder to slice cleanly. If you want more punch without affecting the texture, add ¼ teaspoon of orange extract instead.
Let the tart come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving. Straight from the fridge, the ganache is very firm while at room temp it becomes more like a silky smooth truffle texture.
Leftover pâte sucrée from the tart shell can be frozen and used to make mini tartlets, or cut into cookies and baked.

A close-up of a chocolate tart with a flaky crust, topped with chocolate shavings and sea salt. A slice has been removed, revealing the smooth, rich chocolate filling inside.

Storing

This tart keeps really well. Store it covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. The ganache actually improves over a day or two as the flavors develop. Let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving for the best texture.

The pâte sucrée can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months. The baked shell keeps at room temperature for a day.

More tart and chocolate recipes

Chocolate Orange Ganache Tart

Elien Lewis

This chocolate orange ganache tart has a crisp pâte sucrée shell and a rich, silky ganache infused with fresh orange zest. The ganache is made by steeping orange zest in warm cream before pouring it over dark chocolate, giving the filling a fragrant, natural orange flavor.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 40

Chilling Time 3

Total Time 4 10

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Servings slices

Calories 467 kcal

Ingredients

Pâte Sucrée

100 g unsalted butter softened
90 g powdered sugar
1 large egg
220 g all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

Orange Chocolate Ganache

240 g heavy cream
2 Tbsp orange zest use a microplane, avoid the pith
420 g dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa), finely chopped
45 g unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or triple sec optional, see notes

Garnish (optional)

orange zest curls
flaky sea salt
cocoa powder or chocolate shavings

Instructions

Pâte Sucrée

Cream the softened butter and powdered sugar together until smooth and combined but not aerated. 100 g unsalted butter, 90 g powdered sugar
Beat in the egg until fully incorporated. 1 large egg
Add the flour and salt and mix until a soft dough forms. Don't overmix. 220 g all-purpose flour, 1/4 tsp salt
Shape into a disc, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Roll the dough out to 3-4 mm thick and fit it into a 9-10 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim the edges and dock the base with a fork. Chill for at least 20 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 340°F (170°C).
Line the chilled tart shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Blind bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges have started to turn golden.
Remove the weights and parchment and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes, until the shell is golden brown and baked through. Let it cool completely.

Orange Chocolate Ganache

Add the heavy cream and orange zest to a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and warm until the cream just reaches a simmer (small bubbles around the edges). 240 g heavy cream, 2 Tbsp orange zest
Remove from the heat, cover with a lid, and let the orange zest steep for 15-20 minutes.
While the cream is steeping, finely chop the chocolate and place it in a large heatproof bowl. 420 g dark chocolate
After steeping, return the cream to the heat and bring it back to a simmer. Pour it through a fine mesh sieve over the chopped chocolate. Discard the zest.
Let it sit for 1-2 minutes so the heat melts the chocolate, then stir gently from the center outward with a spatula until the ganache is completely smooth and glossy.
Gently stir in the butter until melted, then add the salt, and orange liqueur (if using) and stir until fully combined and the ganache is uniformly glossy. 45 g unsalted butter, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tbsp Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or triple sec

Assemble

Pour the warm ganache into the completely cooled tart shell. Gently tilt the pan to spread it evenly.
Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours until the ganache is fully set.
Before serving, let the tart sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Garnish with orange zest curls, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, or a light dusting of cocoa powder.orange zest curls, flaky sea salt, cocoa powder or chocolate shavings

Notes

For full pâte sucrée instructions with step-by-step photos, see my pâte sucrée recipe.

Chocolate: Use a good-quality dark chocolate in the 60-70% cocoa range. Avoid chocolate chips, as they contain stabilizers that can affect the ganache texture. Chopping a chocolate bar or block gives the best results.

Steeping the zest: Don’t skip the 15-20 minute steep. This is where all the orange flavor develops. Use a microplane to zest the oranges finely, and avoid the white pith which is bitter.

Stirring the ganache: Stir gently with a spatula, not a whisk. Whisking incorporates air bubbles that ruin the glossy finish.

Boosting the orange: For a stronger orange flavor, add 1 Tbsp Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or triple sec along with the butter. Don’t go above 1 Tbsp, as the extra alcohol can soften the ganache and make slicing messier. For more orange without affecting the set, use ¼ tsp orange extract instead.

Serving temperature: Let the tart come to room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving. The ganache softens from firm to silky and truffle-like, which is when it’s at its best.

Make ahead: The pâte sucrée can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months. The baked shell keeps at room temperature for a day. The fully assembled tart keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Leftover dough: This pâte sucrée recipe makes more dough than you need for a single tart. Wrap the leftover dough tightly and freeze it for up to 3 months. It’s perfect for making mini tartlets, or you can roll it out and cut it into cookies. Bake them at the same temperature for 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. They taste like buttery shortbread.

Both US customary and metric measurements are provided. Use the toggle to switch between the two.

Nutrition

Calories: 467kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 6gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 117mgPotassium: 300mgFiber: 4gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 636IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 5mg

Keyword chocolate orange, chocolate tart, ganache tart, pate sucree, tarte au chocolat

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Chocolate Orange Ganache Tart

About this chocolate orange tart

Key ingredients and why