Decadent Dark Chocolate Brownie (Printable)

A rich tart featuring a crisp shell and fudgy dark chocolate brownie filling topped with cocoa dusting.

# What You Need:

→ Tart Shell

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 1–2 tablespoons cold water

→ Brownie Filling

07 - 7 ounces dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
09 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
13 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

→ Optional Garnish

15 - Cocoa powder or powdered sugar for dusting
16 - Fresh berries or whipped cream

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
02 - Combine flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl. Rub in cold butter with fingertips or a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cold water, mixing until dough forms, adding an extra tablespoon of water if needed. Shape into a disk, wrap, and chill for 15 minutes.
03 - Roll dough on a lightly floured surface and press into prepared tart pan. Trim excess dough and prick base with a fork. Line with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake 5 more minutes until lightly golden. Let cool slightly.
04 - In a heatproof bowl over simmering water or microwave in short bursts, melt dark chocolate and butter together, stirring until smooth. Let cool slightly.
05 - Whisk in granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt until combined. Gently fold in flour until just incorporated, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Pour brownie batter into cooled tart shell and smooth the surface evenly.
07 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until edges are set and center remains slightly soft. Avoid overbaking as filling will firm up while cooling.
08 - Cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with cocoa powder or powdered sugar and garnish with fresh berries or whipped cream as desired before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The tart shell stays crisp even under all that fudgy brownie, so every bite has texture.
  • It looks like you spent hours on it, but most of the work is just waiting for things to chill or bake.
  • You can make it a day ahead and it actually tastes better after the flavors settle overnight.
02 -
  • Do not overbake the brownie filling or it will turn dry and cakey instead of fudgy, the center should still look slightly underdone when you pull it out.
  • If your tart shell cracks during blind baking, press a little extra dough into the crack while it's still warm and it will seal right up.
  • Always let the melted chocolate cool before adding eggs, or you'll end up with scrambled bits in your batter.
03 -
  • Use a removable bottom tart pan so you can lift the tart out cleanly and slice it without worrying about breaking the crust.
  • If you don't have pie weights, use uncooked rice or even a smaller oven-safe dish pressed gently into the parchment to keep the crust flat.
  • Let the tart cool completely before removing the outer ring, or the brownie filling might crack or sag.
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