Chocolate Cheesecake Tarts (Tartlets)
Adorable mini tarts filled with a rich chocolate and cream cheese mixture in a buttery shortcrust pastry. These are semi-homemade chocolate cheesecake tarts and take only 20 minutes to make. Also, this chocolate cream cheese tart recipe uses ready-to-use tart shells that cut preparation time by half and make entertaining a breeze.
Why you’ll love these tarts
- Can you think of a dessert simpler than tartlets? Often, when I entertain, I choose to serve mini-tarts because they are pretty to look at and easy to serve. So, this is a semi-homemade kinda thing.
- First, you buy the tart shells readymade, which are so easy to find at any grocery store. However, if you plan to make homemade mini-tarts, calculate an extra 45 minutes of active time.
- And, it takes 15 minutes to make the chocolate filling.
- Lastly, 3 minutes to pipe the filling. How easy is that?
Homemade vs. ready-to-use tart shells
You can make the tart shells from scratch, or you can cheat and buy them from the store, as I have done here. Sometimes, it’s ok to be lazy. And yet, making mini tarts at home is not difficult. So, if you don’t have these ready-to-use tartlets, you can make them yourself. And, I have shared three different methods of making mini tarts with the recipe and video. You must check it out.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Chocolate – Always use good-quality chocolate. Chocolate that you enjoy eating. For example, I’m using 60% Callebaut couverture chocolate.
- Cream cheese – Use a good 38% or higher to get the maximum cheese flavor. Since low-fat cream cheese will make the consistency of the filling too soft.
- Whipping cream – I highly recommend using 35% fat whipping cream. The low-fat versions will have too much liquid and not whip well to soft peaks. And, the excess moisture can cause the crust to get soggy. But, if you plan to use a low-fat version, I would recommend assembling them closer to serving rather than ahead of time.
Step-by-step: Chocolate cheesecake tartlets
Tart shells (if making from scratch)
- Dough – In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar; pulse for a few seconds. Add cubed chilled butter – pulse until it resembles a breadcrumb consistency. Combine the egg yolk with water and add it to the processor. Pulse until combined, but don’t overdo it.
- Chill – Transfer to a work surface – bring the dough together to form a disc. Wrap in cling wrap and chill in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
- Line the shells: When chilled, roll small pieces of dough into discs and line each tart shell. Cut off any excess at the edges. Alternatively, you can cut a small disc for the base of the tart and strips for the sides. Cut off any excess. Place the tartlet in the fridge while you preheat the oven
- Preheat the oven to 200℃ / 400℉
- Bake shells – Prick the pastry all over with the tines of a fork or a cocktail stick to prevent the dough from puffing up. Bake in the preheated oven – the 3-inch mini-tarts take 10 to 12 minutes, while the 5-inch mini-tarts take about 12 to 14 minutes. Cool the tarts completely before filling
Chocolate cheesecake filling
- Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl or double boiler. Set aside to cool.
- Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Add the cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, salt and vanilla extract. Whip until just combined, don’t overwhip. Fold in the cool melted chocolate until well combined.
- Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a piping bag and pipe into each tart shell.
- Garnish with a little shaved chocolate. Chill for a few hours before serving.Chocolate shaving
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- Rich Shortcrust Pastry – Pâte Sablée
Frequently asked questions
This tart will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
These don’t take long to make. In fact, the filling takes just 5 minutes. You can also fill these about 2 days ahead.
Fill the tart shells and chill them in the fridge to set. But make sure to bring them to room temperature before serving.
If you plan to make the tart shells at home, you can use either one of these pastry recipes:
Rich shortcrust pastry – Pâte Sablée – using the creaming method, similar to how we make cookies. Or,
Sweet shortcrust pastry – pate sucree – using the crumble method similar to how we make a pie crust.
Also, I have a step-by-step recipe and a video tutorial showing three different methods for making homemade mini tart shells.
Absolutely. Double the recipe, and the filling will be perfect for one 9-inch shortcrust pastry shell. And you can also use a ready-to-use, ready-to-roll, or make my homemade rich shortcrust pastry in advance. In addition, I have a recipe for baked Chocolate Cheesecake Tarts that you must check out, too.
Yes. In fact, I also have cream cheese chocolate mousse tarts as well as a chocolate ganache tart.
Chocolate Cheesecake Tarts
Adorable mini tarts filled with a rich chocolate cream cheese mixture in a buttery shortcrust pastry. These semi-homemade chocolate cheesecake tarts take only 20 minutes to make. This chocolate cream cheese tart recipe takes advantage of ready-to-use tart shells that cut preparation time by half and make entertaining a breeze
Video
Ingredients
- 190 g (1½ cups) All-purpose flour
- 113 g (½ cup) Unsalted butter chilled, cubed
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Powdered Sugar
- 1 large Egg yolk
- 2 tbsp Chilled water up tp 4 tbsp
- 226 g (1 cup) Cream cheese
- 120 ml (½ cup) Whipping cream
- 110 g (4 oz) Dark chocolate
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 60 g (½ cup) Powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- Chocolate shaving
Method
- Dough – In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar; pulse for a few seconds. Add cubed chilled butter – pulse until it resembles a breadcrumb consistency. Combine the egg yolk with water and add it to the processor. Pulse until combined, but don't overdo it.190 g All-purpose flour, 113 g Unsalted butter, ¼ tsp Salt, 2 tbsp Powdered Sugar, 1 large Egg yolk, 2 tbsp Chilled water
- Chill – Transfer to a work surface – bring the dough together to form a disc. Wrap in cling wrap and chill in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
- Line the shells: When chilled, roll small pieces of dough into discs and line each tart shell. Cut off any excess at the edges. Alternatively, you can cut a small disc for the base of the tart and strips for the sides. Cut off any excess. Place the tartlet in the fridge while you preheat the oven
- Preheat the oven to 200℃ / 400℉
- Bake shells – Prick the pastry all over with the tines of a fork or a cocktail stick to prevent the dough from puffing up. Bake in the preheated oven – the 3-inch mini-tarts take 10 to 12 minutes, while the 5-inch mini-tarts take about 12 to 14 minutes. Cool the tarts completely before filling
- Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl or double boiler. Set aside to cool.110 g Dark chocolate
- Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Add the cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, salt and vanilla extract. Whip until just combined, don't overwhip. Fold in the cool melted chocolate until well combined.226 g Cream cheese, 120 ml Whipping cream, ¼ tsp Salt, 1 tsp Vanilla extract, 60 g Powdered sugar, 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a piping bag and pipe into each tart shell.
- Garnish with a little shaved chocolate. Chill for a few hours before serving.Chocolate shaving
Notes
- Chill the tart shells completely before filling to keep the cheesecake filling smooth and stable.
- Use full-fat cream cheese for the richest texture and best flavor.
- Do not overmix after adding the melted chocolate, as too much air can cause the filling to lose its silky texture.
- For clean edges, refrigerate the filled tarts for at least 2 hours before serving.
- These mini cheesecake tarts can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.
- Decorate with chocolate shavings, cocoa powder, fresh berries, or whipped cream just before serving.
- The tart shells can be baked and frozen for up to 1 month before filling.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
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I see listed in the filling ingredients is 1 tbsp cornflour, but no mention is made in the instructions as to what to do with it. Please clarify.
Charleen, you will the cream with cornstarch. It helps to stabilize it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Thank you so much Veena.
These are so cute and look so tasty! The step by step makes it seem very easy and approachable as well – I need to try!
Thank you, Aline. I hope you try this.
Your work is so inspiring. Love these cute, little tarts. Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you, Sophie
These tarts look and sound amazing! The chocolate centers look sweet and perfect!
Thank you, Jess. They were definitely delicious.