Spelt Chocolate Tart with Hazelnuts

Spelt flour makes a noticeably different pastry. The crust stays short and slightly nutty, with a texture that pairs well with a dense chocolate filling rather than fighting it.

The ganache here is simple: dark chocolate, cream, and a pinch of salt. You pour it into the blind-baked shell while it's still warm, and it sets as it cools. No water bath, no baking the filling at all.

Toasted hazelnuts go into the pastry and sit on top of the tart before it sets. They stay crisp where they touch the surface, and soft where the ganache covers them.

You can make the whole tart a day ahead. The crust stays firm and the ganache firms to a clean slice at fridge temperature.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Spelt crust stays crisp without going soggy
No-bake ganache filling sets without effort
Toasted hazelnuts add crunch at every layer
Slices cleanly straight from the fridge

Dark chocolate ganache being poured into a blind-baked spelt tart shell, toasted hazelnuts in a bowl alongside ready to scatter

Ingredient Notes

Wholemeal spelt flour: Use wholemeal spelt for a nuttier, darker crust. White spelt works too and gives a paler, slightly more delicate pastry.
Dark chocolate (70%): Use 70% cocoa solids for a ganache that sets firm enough to slice. Lower percentages may not set properly at room temperature.
Double cream: Full-fat double cream (or heavy cream) is needed here. Single cream has too much water content and the ganache may not set.
Hazelnuts: Buy blanched hazelnuts and toast them yourself for better flavour. If you only have skin-on hazelnuts, rub them in a tea towel after toasting to remove most of the skins.
Unsalted butter: Cold butter is key for the pastry. Cut it into small cubes and keep it in the fridge right until you need it.
Icing sugar: Icing sugar gives the pastry a softer crumb than caster sugar. Caster sugar works as a substitute but the texture will be slightly more crumbly.

Single slice of spelt chocolate hazelnut tart on a ceramic plate with creme fraiche and an espresso cup in the background

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Rest Time 90 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 25 mins

Cooking Method: Oven

Cuisine: European

Courses: Dessert

Difficulty: Medium

Cooking Temp: 180 C

Servings: 8

Estimated Cost: 2.80

Calories: 420

Best Season: Fall, Winter

Dietary: Contains dairy and eggs, Contains gluten (spelt), contains nuts, Vegetarian

Description

Wholegrain spelt flour gives this tart a short, biscuity crust that holds the dark chocolate ganache without turning soggy. The toasted hazelnuts add crunch in both the pastry and the filling.

Ingredients

Spelt Pastry

180 g wholemeal spelt flour (plus extra for dusting)
30 g icing sugar
1 pinch fine sea salt
100 g unsalted butter (cold, cut into small cubes)
1 egg yolk (large)
2 tbsp ice-cold water (add gradually)
40 g blanched hazelnuts (toasted and roughly chopped)

Dark Chocolate Ganache

250 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) (finely chopped)
200 ml double cream
20 g unsalted butter (at room temperature, cut into small pieces)
1 pinch fine sea salt

Topping

60 g blanched hazelnuts (toasted, some left whole, some roughly chopped)
1 pinch flaky sea salt (optional)

Instructions

Make the Pastry

1
Heat the oven to 180 C / 355 F. Spread the hazelnuts for both the pastry and the topping on a baking sheet and toast for 8-10 minutes until golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool, then roughly chop the pastry portion.
2
Put the spelt flour, icing sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the cold butter cubes and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
3
Stir in the chopped toasted hazelnuts (40 g) for the pastry. Add the egg yolk and 1 tbsp of ice-cold water. Mix with a fork, then use your hands to bring the dough together. Add the second tablespoon of water only if the dough feels dry and won't come together.
4
Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Line and Blind Bake

5
On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled pastry out to a circle roughly 3 mm thick and about 30 cm in diameter. Carefully lift it over the rolling pin and lay it into the 23 cm tart tin. Press gently into the edges and let the excess hang over the rim.
6
Prick the base all over with a fork. Line with baking parchment, fill with baking beans or dried rice, and refrigerate the lined tin for 15 minutes.
7
Blind bake at 180 C for 15 minutes until the edges are set and lightly golden. Remove the parchment and baking beans. Return to the oven for a further 8-10 minutes until the base is dry and feels firm when pressed lightly.
8
Trim the overhanging pastry with a sharp knife while still warm. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes.

Make the Ganache and Assemble

9
Place the finely chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the double cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer around the edges. Do not let it boil.
10
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Leave for 1 minute without stirring, then stir slowly from the centre outwards until smooth and glossy.
11
Add the room-temperature butter pieces and the pinch of salt. Stir gently until the butter has melted in and the ganache looks uniformly smooth.
12
Pour the ganache into the warm tart shell. Tilt the tin gently to level the surface if needed.
13
Scatter the topping hazelnuts over the ganache within 5 minutes. Add a pinch of flaky salt if using. Leave to set at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour until fully firm.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 8

Amount Per Serving
Calories 420kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 28g44%
Saturated Fat 13g65%
Cholesterol 55mg19%
Sodium 80mg4%
Potassium 280mg8%
Total Carbohydrate 33g11%
Dietary Fiber 4g16%
Sugars 17g
Protein 7g15%

Vitamin A 320 IU
Calcium 45 mg
Iron 4 mg
Vitamin D 10 IU
Vitamin E 3 mg
Vitamin K 4 mcg
Thiamin 0.1 mg
Riboflavin 0.1 mg
Niacin 1.5 mg
Vitamin B6 0.1 mg
Folate 22 mcg
Vitamin B12 0.1 mcg
Phosphorus 160 mg
Magnesium 55 mg
Zinc 1.8 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Additional Notes

Rest the pastry dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
Use chocolate at 70% cocoa solids minimum for a ganache that slices cleanly.
Toast hazelnuts at 180 C for 8-10 minutes until golden and fragrant before using.
Pour ganache only when the tart shell has cooled to warm, not hot.
Do not refrigerate the tart immediately after pouring the ganache - let it set at room temperature first.

Keywords: spelt chocolate tart, hazelnut chocolate tart, spelt pastry dessert, dark chocolate ganache tart, wholegrain tart recipe

Equipment

23 cm loose-bottomed tart tin
rolling pin
baking beans or dried rice
small heavy-based saucepan
mixing bowls
pastry brush

Tips

Chill the pastry for at least 30 minutes before rolling to prevent shrinkage during blind baking.
Blind bake with baking beans until the edges are set, then remove and bake a further 8 minutes until the base is dry to the touch.
Pour the ganache into the shell while both are warm so the ganache levels out without pitting or cracking.
Scatter two-thirds of the hazelnuts over the ganache within 5 minutes of pouring, before the surface skins over.
Let the tart set at room temperature for 1 hour before refrigerating to avoid condensation forming on the ganache surface.

Variations

Swap hazelnuts for toasted almonds and add 1 tsp almond extract to the ganache for a different nut profile.
Press a layer of hazelnut praline paste onto the blind-baked shell before pouring the ganache for a crunchier base.
Use orange zest steeped in the warm cream for 5 minutes before straining to add a clean citrus note to the filling.

Storage and Reheating

Store the tart covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The spelt crust stays firm and the ganache holds its shape well over that time.

Remove from the fridge 20-30 minutes before serving. The ganache softens slightly at room temperature and the flavour of the chocolate comes through more clearly than when cold.

You can freeze individual slices wrapped tightly in cling film for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before eating.

Serving Suggestions

Serve each slice with a small spoonful of creme fraiche on the side. The slight tang cuts through the richness of the dark chocolate without overwhelming the hazelnut flavour.

A few extra toasted hazelnuts scattered around the plate and a light dusting of cocoa powder keep the presentation clean and simple.

This tart works at the end of a casual dinner or as part of a weekend baking spread. A small espresso or a glass of full-bodied red wine alongside it makes the chocolate flavour more pronounced.

Read it online: https://greatbritishspeltrecipes.com/recipe/spelt-chocolate-tart-with-hazelnuts/

Valentina

A dietitian with a passion for spelt cooking. After trying different diets, I found spelt works best in my kitchen. Join me for simple, delicious recipes that bring out the best in this ancient grain!