Chocolate Pistachio Tart

Recipe updated January 2026. 

I got the idea for this chocolate ganache pistachio tart from a ‘bake from scratch’ cookbook babygirl and I were perusing together. I stopped on a page with a recipe for a peanut butter pie (see it here). I read through it and thought all three parts sounded delicious together – the chocolate crust, the ganache bottom and the fluffy nut topping. But I also immediately wanted to do it a bit differently; I wanted a homemade pate sucre crust (chocolate!), a smoother chocolate ganache, and I wanted the top to be made of pistachios.

This pie is a real dream for lovers of the pistachio chocolate combination. From the dreamy decadence in the ganache layer, to the rich and salty pistachio and cream cheese topping it will delight. When I added pomegranate on top for a little crunch and bright flavor, it really brought the whole slice home. I imagine raspberries or strawberries would be equally complementary.

Recipe Ingredients

Pistachios: raw and shelled (or you can shell them yourself). But it’s best to use raw so that you can control how long they are toasted. If you prefer to use store-bought pistachio butter it should be made only with pistachios, no added sugars or oils (those will change the recipe’s sugar balance).

Flour: all purpose flour. You can use a 1 to 1 swap of gluten free flour if you like.

Cocoa: dutch process cocoa.

Powdered sugar: we’ll use this for the crust as well as the pistachio mousse topping. Because it’s uncooked in the latter, I prefer to use powdered sugar made with tapioca starch (which melts on the tongue rather than by heat).

Butter: unsalted or salted is fine, it should be softened to room temperature.

Salt: fine sea salt. If using table salt, halve the amount.

Vanilla: pure vanilla extract. I add this to both the ganache and the mousse topping.

Egg yolk: this is preferable to make the crust but if I don’t have an extra one on hand I tend to use a few tablespoons of milk, just to bring the dough together.

Chocolate: semi-sweet or dark chocolate (I prefer the latter but it’s up to you!). Don’t use chocolate chips, we want a chocolate that’s meant to be eaten as is (without anti-melting agents).

Heavy cream: or heavy whipping cream. This is for both the ganache and the mousse. If you need to make this dairy free, opt for a soy/plant based heavy whipping cream.

Cream cheese: full fat, softened to room temperature.

How to make Chocolate Pistachio Tart

Start by making the pistachio butter

Toast the raw pistachios in the oven for 10 minutes, until fragrant. Then add them to a food processor. We’re going to blend the nuts until they release their oils and become a smooth soft paste (it should be kind of runny). You can do this step ahead of time or at least an hour before (it needs time to chill).

Make the crust

The dry ingredients need to be whisked together (cocoa, flour, salt, powdered sugar) and then we’re incorporating the butter into it. You can do this in a food processor, with a stand mixer or using a hand mixer. Once the butter is in bits and coats the dry ingredients, add the egg yolk or milk to the dough and mix until it starts to clump.

Press the crust into the pan, start at the bottom and then gradually move to the sides. I use a floured measuring cup to help pack it in and smooth out the sides and bottom.

Bake the crust: first with pie weights then without the weights (but docked with a fork).

Let it cool before making the ganache.

Make the ganache

Chop the chocolate finely (this helps it melt more easily). I like to warm my chocolate a bit before adding the hot cream but this is optional.

Warm the cream in a pot over medium low heat until it bubbles at the sides and steams in the center. Then pour it over the chocolate – give it a quick stir then leave it for a bit (this helps it start to melt before agitation). Then stir until it’s smooth – add the salt and vanilla as you do.

Pour the ganache into the shell and smooth into an even layer. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour before making the mousse. It should be firm.

Make the mousse

Smooth and press the cream cheese into a bowl (use a stand mixer and paddle attachment or a hand mixer for this part of the recipe). Then add the vanilla and salt and beat until smooth.

Add the pistachio butter paste and beat until smooth.

Add the heavy cream and powdered sugar and we’ll beat (use the whisk if using the stand mixer) until we have stiff peaks: there should be ripples that hold shape in the creamy mixture.

Dollop this onto the ganache and use the back of a spoon to make pretty swoops.

Place it in the fridge to set until firm, at least 4 hours.

Baker’s Note (2026)

• The older version of this pie is nearly identical to this newer edition with some small changes: I made the ganache a little softer (so it’s texture would be a bit more firm than the mousse but still easily sliceable), I increased the whipped cream in the mousse to make it fluffier (you can reduce it by 120g or 1/2 cup if you preferred the original), and for the crust I give the option of using milk instead of an egg yolk.

Chocolate Pistachio Tart Recipe

Chocolate Ganache Pistachio Tart

Chocolate tart with a dark chocolate ganache bottom and a creamy, nutty pistachio mouse on top.

Prep Time: 1 hour hr

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Chill Time: 8 hours hrs

Yields: 1 9 inch tart pie

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Ingredients

Pistachio butter

• 240g raw unshelled pistachios

Chocolate Pate Sucree Crust

• 150g or 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 65g or ½ cup powdered sugar
• 40 or ½ cup dutch process cocoa powder
• Pinch fine sea salt
• 120g or 9 tablespoons butter softened (salted or unsalted)
• 1 yolk or 2-3 tablespoons milk as needed (using milk can lead to more cracking, but I do this when I don’t have an extra egg yolk on hand)

Dark Chocolate Ganache

• 180g dark chocolate chopped finely
• 200g heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
• Pinch fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pistachio Mousse Cream

• 226g or 1 brick full fat cream cheese softened
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• pistachio butter homemade, from above (if using store-bought use about 3/4 cup - it should be pure pistachio butter, without any other additions)
• 97g or ¾ cup powdered sugar made with tapioca starch
• 360g or 1 ½ cups heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
• Raspberries & Pomegranates for topping

Method

• Make the pistachio butter (this can be done up to a week ahead of time): preheat the oven to 350 F. Spread the (240g) pistachios on a baking tray in an even layer. Bake until hot and fragrant, for about 9 minutes, shaking the pan halfway for even heating. Transfer the nuts to a food processor and process on high until you have pistachio butter. This can take up to 10 minutes, depending on the strength of your machine. The nuts will first turn finely ground, keep processing and scraping down, until the nuts turn into a loose paste. Let cool, store in an airtight container until ready to use.
• Make the crust: preheat the oven to 350 F. In a bowl, whisk together the cocoa (40g or ½ cup dutch process cocoa powder), flour (150g or 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons), powdered sugar (65g or ½ cup powdered sugar), and salt. Add the softened butter (120g or 9 tablespoons butter) and use a hand mixer to beat until the butter is in tiny bits. Add the egg yolk (or 2-3 tablespoons milk) and beat until the dough starts to clump together. Transfer the dough to a 9 inch tart pan (it should be about an inch tall) and press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Take your time with it, trying to get it in an even layer. Use the bottom of a measuring up (flour it to keep it from sticking) to pack the crust in. Lay a sheet of parchment paper over the dough and fill it with pie weights. Bake the crust for 15 minutes then remove the parchment and pie weights, dock the crust all over with a fork (to prevent bubbling) and return to the oven to bake until the crust is set, about another 12 minutes. Let cool completely before moving onto the ganache.
• Make the ganache: chop up the chocolate (180g) very finely. Set the heavy cream (200g) in a pot over medium low heat and warm until just the sides start bubbling. (I like to give my chocolate a gentle warm, 30 seconds in the microwave, before adding the hot heavy cream). Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate and gently stir, then leave it for about 30 seconds. Stir, adding the salt and vanilla as you do, until the ganache is smooth. Pour the ganache into the cooled tart crust. Smooth into an even layer and set in the fridge for at least an hour to firm up.
• Make the pistachio mousse: set the room temperature cream cheese (226g or 1 brick) in a large bowl and use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to press it into the bowl (this helps remove any lumps). Add the vanilla and salt and use a hand mixer (you can also do this in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment) to beat it until smooth. Add the pistachio butter and beat until combined. Add the powdered sugar (65g or ½ cup) and heavy cream (360g or 1 ½ cups) (if you are using the stand mixer switch to the whisk attachment) and beat until stiff peaks; the whisk/beaters should leave ripples that hold shape. Spread the pistachio mousse on the pie and smooth into an even layer. Top with pomegranate arils and/or strawberries or raspberries. Chill in the fridge for about 2-6 hours until the mousse is set. Serve chilled and store in the fridge (it will keep for 2-3 days).

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