Name: Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache Tart
Prep time: 360 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 370 min
Yield: 4-6 Servings
Ingredients: For the Crust; 2 cups graham cracker crumbs; ½ cup finely ground toasted hazelnuts; 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar; ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; 1 teaspoon hazelnut liqueur, optional; 12 ounces coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate; ¼ cup Nutella; 1½ cups heavy cream; 1 tablespoon hazelnut liqueur, optional; ¾ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

Sweets

Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache Tart

Author: Mary DiSomma

Featured in my "What's Cookin'" column for Peoria Magazine, February 2023.

I love making my chocolate ganache Nutella tart anytime of the year, but especially during February. If you’ve had it once, you’re probably addicted. If you haven’t, you’re really missing out.

For the chocolate, I use the best I can get. My favorite brands are Valrhona and Callebaut. And if you feel like adding a little libation to your tart, add a tablespoon or two of hazelnut liqueur to the filling. Then I use classic Nutella™, that creamy, hazelnut- and cocoa-flavored spread in a jar. Nutella makes a tasty partner in a multitude of recipes but is just as good straight-up, by the spoonful directly from the jar.

The product was developed in Italy following World War II. A high tax on cocoa led to its development. Pietro Ferrero, a pastry maker from Piedmont, Italy, created a sweet paste made with hazelnuts, sugar and just a bit of the expensive cocoa powder. That small-batch version of hazelnut cocoa paste, originally known as Giandujot paste, launched a company that is now worldwide.