There’s a moment—right after the tart comes out of the fridge, when the ganache is still mirror-slick and the raspberries glow like little rubies—when I always pause. I’ve made this Chocolate Raspberry Tart with Almond Crust for bridal showers, backyard solstice parties, Tuesday nights when the world feels too heavy, and every single time that pause is followed by an audible “wow.” The crust is buttery, fragrant with orange zest and toasted almonds; the filling is deep, dark 70 % chocolate mellowed by silky cream; and the raspberries release just enough tang to make you reach for a second slice before you’ve finished the first. If you’ve been searching for a dessert that feels bakery-window worthy yet comes together without gelatin, corn syrup, or any fussy decorations, welcome home.

I first cobbled this recipe together when my daughter asked for “something chocolate, but fruity, but not cake, and definitely not cupcakes” for her birthday. (No pressure, kid.) We were living in a tiny rental with a temperamental oven and one mixing bowl, so I needed a crust that didn’t require pie weights and a filling that set firmly without a water bath. The almond crust came from my grandmother’s Linzer torte, the ganache from my pastry-school days, and the glossy crown of raspberries from the farmers’ market that refused to stop producing fruit even in October. Ten years later, it’s the dessert my friends request by name, the one I teach in every dessert workshop, and the recipe that finally convinced my sister that gluten-free pastry can taste better than the “regular” stuff.

Why This Recipe Works

Press-in almond crust: No rolling pin, no chilling, no shrinkage—just toasty, nutty flavor and a cookie-like crunch.
Two-ingredient ganache: Chocolate + cream, period. No eggs to scramble, no gelatin bloom to worry about.
Natural raspberry glaze: A quick strained jam melt gives you a mirror finish without specialty pectin.
Make-ahead magic: The crust can be baked and frozen for a month; the finished tart keeps 4 days chilled.
Gluten-free friendly: Swap the ½ cup all-purpose flour for oat or rice flour—zero texture change.
Balanced sweetness: 70 % chocolate + tart berries means dessert feels indulgent, not cloying.

Ingredients You'll Need

Great chocolate is non-negotiable. Look for bars labeled 60–72 % cacao; anything darker will taste slightly bitter against the berries, anything lighter veers into candy territory. My go-to supermarket brands are Guittard 70 % or Ghirardelli 72 %; both melt silkily and slice cleanly. If you’re a bean-to-bar devotee, splurge on a single-origin Madagascar bar—its natural fruity notes marry beautifully with raspberries.

Almond flour gives the crust a Linzer-like tenderness. I buy it in 3-pound bags from Costco and freeze what I don’t use; it keeps a year. If you only have blanched almonds in your pantry, pulse them with the sugar until powdery, then proceed—skin-on almonds work but will speckle the crust brown.

Fresh raspberries are gorgeous, but frozen berries (thawed and patted dry) work for the garnish if you’re making this in January. Avoid raspberries packed in syrup; the extra sugar will weep into the ganache.

Heavy cream must be 36 % fat. Lower-fat “whipping cream” contains stabilizers that can make the ganache slightly grainy. If you’re dairy-free, full-fat coconut cream (the thick layer from a chilled can) whips into ganache, though it will carry a faint coconut aroma.

Orange zest is my secret weapon; its oils amplify both chocolate and raspberry without announcing “Hi, I’m citrus!” If you dislike orange, swap in ¼ tsp almond extract or the seeds from ½ vanilla bean.

How to Make Chocolate Raspberry Tart with Almond Crust

Toast the almonds

Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Spread 1 cup (96 g) almond flour on a sheet pan and bake 5 minutes, stirring once, until fragrant and just starting to color. Cool completely. This quick step removes excess moisture and intensifies nutty flavor.

Make the press-in crust

In a medium bowl combine toasted almond flour, ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour, ¼ cup (25 g) confectioners’ sugar, 2 Tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar, ¼ tsp kosher salt, and the zest of ½ orange. Pour in 6 Tbsp (85 g) melted unsalted butter and ½ tsp vanilla. Stir with a fork until evenly moistened. Tip the mixture into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Press firmly and evenly across the base and up the sides, using the flat base of a measuring cup to compact. Bake 14–16 minutes until set and just golden. Cool on a rack.

Prep the raspberry layer

While the crust cools, gently warm ⅓ cup (100 g) raspberry jam in a small saucepan over low heat until liquid. Strain through a fine sieve to remove seeds; you should have about 3 Tbsp smooth purée. Reserve 1 Tbsp for the glaze and spread the remaining 2 Tbsp evenly over the base of the cooled crust. This thin jam barrier keeps the crust crisp and adds a concentrated fruit punch.

Create the ganache

Place 8 oz (225 g) chopped 70 % chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream until it just begins to simmer (small bubbles at the edge, not a rolling boil). Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let stand 60 seconds, then whisk from the center outward until glossy and smooth. If tiny lumps remain, microwave 5 seconds and whisk again. Stir in 1 Tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter for extra shine.

Assemble and chill

Pour the ganache over the jam-coated crust. Tap the pan gently on the counter to pop air bubbles. Refrigerate 2 hours until the surface is softly set—firm enough to hold a raspberry but soft enough to slice cleanly.

Top and glaze

Starting from the outer edge, arrange 2 cups (about 9 oz/255 g) fresh raspberries in concentric circles, placing them pointy-side up. Warm the reserved 1 Tbsp strained jam with 1 tsp water, brush lightly over the berries for a jewel-like shine. Return to the fridge 15 minutes to set the glaze.

Serve like a pro

Remove the tart from the pan foot by pressing up on the removable bottom while the fluted ring falls away. Slice with a warm, dry knife (dip in hot water, wipe clean between cuts) for bakery-neat wedges. Serve chilled; the ganache softens slightly at room temperature after 20 minutes, which some guests prefer.

Expert Tips

Temperature matters

If your kitchen is warmer than 74 °F (23 °C), chill the tart pan for 10 minutes before pressing in the crust; a cool pan keeps the butter from greasing the sides and sliding down.

No weeping berries

Pat raspberries dry with paper towels before topping. Excess moisture dilutes the ganache and can create unsightly puddles.

Clean release

Lightly grease the tart ring with a smear of butter before assembly. The crust will pull away cleanly, preserving those sharp fluted edges.

Slice ahead

Cut the entire tart, then slide pieces apart by ¼ inch before refrigerating; air circulation prevents the ganache from sweating when stored.

Flavor bridge

Add 1 tsp espresso powder to the ganache; coffee amplifies chocolate notes without tasting like mocha.

Double duty

Leftover crust crumbs? Stir into vanilla ice cream for a fast stracciatella crunch.

Variations to Try

Blackberry & mint: Replace raspberries with fresh blackberries and add 1 Tbsp finely chopped mint to the ganache.
Milk chocolate hazelnut: Swap 70 % chocolate for milk chocolate and use hazelnut flour in place of almond.
Pistachio rose: Sub pistachio flour in the crust and sprinkle 1 tsp culinary rose petals over the berries.
Spiced orange: Add ¼ tsp each cinnamon and cardamom to the crust; garnish with candied orange peel.
Vegan silhouette: Use coconut cream for ganache and vegan butter for crust; top with glazed strawberries instead of raspberries.
Mini tartlets: Divide crust among six 4-inch tart pans; reduce bake time to 10 minutes. Perfect for party favors.

Storage Tips

Refrigerator: Cover loosely with foil or an inverted bowl (plastic wrap traps condensation) and refrigerate up to 4 days. After day 2 the crust softens slightly but still tastes delicious.

Freezer: Once fully set, wrap the tart (still on the metal base) in a double layer of plastic, then foil. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator; add fresh raspberries and glaze after thawing for best appearance.

Make-ahead: The crust can be baked, cooled, wrapped, and stored at room temperature 48 hours ahead or frozen 1 month. The jam barrier can be applied while the crust is still warm; let cool before adding ganache.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Thaw completely, spread on paper towels, and pat dry. They will be softer and slightly darker, so arrange them gently and glaze while cold to lock in moisture.

Warm 2 Tbsp cream to steaming, whisk in the split ganache a teaspoon at a time until emulsified. If it’s still grainy, blend with an immersion blender 10 seconds.

Highly recommended. A solid pan works, but you’ll need to lift slices out with a pie server; the first piece may break. If that’s all you have, line the bottom with a parchment round for easier extraction.

The crust relies on 3 Tbsp total sugar for structure; reducing it makes the shell crumbly. You can, however, use 85 % chocolate and 2 tsp stevia-sweetened jam if you need a lower-sugar dessert.

Chill the tart until the ganache is rock-solid (3+ hours). Set the metal base on a cardboard cake round slightly smaller than the tart foot; this keeps the pan from sliding. Place in a pie carrier or box, and add ice packs around—not touching—the base during hot weather.

Absolutely. Use a 6-inch tart pan and halve every ingredient. Bake the crust 10–12 minutes; chill the ganache 90 minutes. The smaller tart serves 4–5.

Chocolate Raspberry Tart with Almond Crust

Why This Recipe Works

Ingredients You'll Need