Thanksgiving week is the perfect time for a show-stopping tart — and this chocolate hazelnut tart, made with Pan Di Stelle chocolate hazelnut crema, is just that. Rich, nutty, and chocolatey, it’s one of those desserts you’ll happily sample by the spoonful. If you spot the Pan Di Stelle spread this holiday season, grab a jar — it elevates this tart and is often a seasonal item in the U.S.
This was my first time using a removable-bottom tart pan and I love the presentation it creates. If you don’t have a tart pan, you can use a shallow pie pan, a springform, or even a lined cake pan — the tart will still be delicious.
What’s in this chocolate hazelnut tart?
The filling is intentionally simple and avoids extra chocolate, cream, or corn syrup. It’s made from toasted hazelnuts, eggs, sugar, Pan Di Stelle chocolate hazelnut spread, ground hazelnuts, melted butter, and vanilla. The flavor comes from quality ingredients rather than a long ingredient list.
To complement the straightforward filling, the crust takes inspiration from Pierre Hermé’s pâte sablée. I swapped almond flour for ground hazelnuts and adjusted the ratios slightly — the result is a tender, slightly sandy hazelnut crust that pairs beautifully with the filling.
How to make the hazelnut crust
Unlike most pie doughs that rely on cold butter and ice water, this pâte sablée-style crust uses room-temperature butter creamed with powdered sugar. After beating the butter and sugar smooth, add the ground hazelnuts and an egg, then fold in the flour and a pinch of salt just until combined. Chill the dough briefly to make it easier to handle.
This dough is forgiving: instead of rolling it out, you can press it directly into a greased 9″–10″ tart pan with a removable bottom. To keep its shape while baking, either freeze the crust until solid or use pie weights — or both. Freezing for at least 20–30 minutes works well if you don’t have weights.
How to make the chocolate hazelnut filling
The filling comes together quickly and can be prepared while the crust par-bakes. Melt the chocolate hazelnut spread with melted butter until smooth. In another bowl, beat the eggs and brown sugar for a couple of minutes, then temper in the chocolate-butter mixture and add vanilla. Fold in the ground hazelnuts, then pour the filling into the partially blind-baked crust and finish baking.
Pro Tips
- Toast hazelnuts and rub off the skins before using. Reserve a handful of toasted hazelnuts for garnish and pulse the rest in a food processor to make ground hazelnuts for the crust and filling.
- Freeze the filled tart pan or use pie weights during blind-baking to prevent the crust from collapsing. If short on time, pie weights alone will help.
- For an extra-crisp crust, fully blind-bake the crust before adding the filling.
- Place the tart on a baking sheet when you transfer it to the oven to catch any potential spills and make handling easier.
- Allow the tart to cool completely before slicing. For neat slices, use a hot knife and wipe it between cuts.
This tart is a crowd-pleaser. If you make it, share your photos on Instagram and tag @baranbakery — I love seeing your bakes. Happy baking!
Love, B
Pies & Tarts
Chocolate Hazelnut Tart Recipe
1 hour 30 minutes
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Ingredients
Crust
- 10 Tbsp (5oz) butter, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar, spooned and leveled
- 3/4 cup ground hazelnuts
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- pinch of salt
Filling
- 1 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
- 1/4 cup (2oz) butter, melted
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup ground hazelnuts
Method
Crust
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Beat the butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Add the ground hazelnuts and egg, then beat until incorporated. Add the flour and a pinch of salt and mix just until combined.
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Refrigerate the dough for 10–20 minutes until firm enough to work with.
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Press the dough into the bottom of a greased 9″ or 10″ tart pan with a removable bottom (or use a shallow pie pan or springform pan). Freeze for 20–30 minutes until solid, or use pie weights if you prefer.
Filling
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Melt the chocolate hazelnut spread with the melted butter and stir until smooth.
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In a bowl, beat the eggs and brown sugar for 2–3 minutes. Add the chocolate-butter mixture and vanilla, mixing until combined.
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Fold in the ground hazelnuts, then pour the filling into the partially blind-baked crust.
Bake
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Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C (convection) or 325°F/162°C (conventional). Dock the dough with a fork and bake the crust for 15 minutes.
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Remove the crust from the oven, pour the filling over it, and bake for another 30 minutes.
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Cool the tart completely before slicing to ensure clean pieces.
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Finish with extra chocolate hazelnut crema and toasted hazelnuts on top, if desired.
Nutrition
Thank you for supporting Baran Bakery and the brands that helped make this post possible. This post was sponsored by Pan Di Stelle. All opinions are my own.