Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Tart A Bake with Colour Crunch

Some recipes are created out of a desire to do something special without spending hours in the kitchen. A chocolate cranberry tart with a pistachio topping is just that, simple steps, no complex techniques. However, it looks festive enough to place proudly at the centerpiece of your dining table.

Here, chocolate is the tart's foundation, cranberries provide the tangy bite, and pistachios add colour and crunch. The frosting is more than eye candy, it keeps the filling moist, brings the sweetness together, and lends a neat, shiny finish to each piece. You don't have to be a pro, only a little patience and the right ingredients.

Whether you’re baking for a family celebration, a festival, or simply because the mood strikes, this tart has a way of making the effort feel worthwhile.Each slice offers balance, richness, freshness, and a nutty bite, without being overly complicated to prepare.

Ingredients

For the base:

• 1 ½ cups crushed digestive biscuits
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar

For the filling:

• 200 g dark chocolate, chopped
• ½ cup fresh cream
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 2 tbsp honey

For pistachio topping:

• ½ cup unsalted pistachios, shelled and coarsely chopped
• 1 tbsp icing sugar (optional, to dust)

For frosting:

• 100 g dark chocolate
• ½ cup fresh cream

Method:

1. Crush the digestive biscuits to a fine crumb and combine with melted butter and powdered sugar until you get a damp consistency.
2. Press this mixture evenly into the base and sides of a tart tin. Chill for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
3. In a heatproof bowl, put the chopped dark chocolate, cream, and butter.
4. Melt over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring until smooth and creamy.
5. Stir in dried cranberries and honey, being careful not to break the berries.
6. Pour the filling into the cooled tart base and smooth the surface.
7. For the frosting, warm the cream to just steaming, then pour it over the broken chocolate.
8. Allow to sit for a minute, then beat until glossy. Spread uniformly over the tart filling for a tidy, rich finish.
9. Drop the chopped pistachios generously on top, lightly pressing down so they stick to the frosting.
10. Refrigerate the tart at least two hours before serving. If using icing sugar, dust just before serving.

7 Tips to Follow

1. Select the correct chocolate

Dark chocolates are not all created equal in a tart filling. Go for one with a minimum of 55–60% cocoa solids for a rich but balanced flavor. If you choose something too bitter, it could overwhelm the cranberries; too sweet, and it can turn the dessert cloying.

2. Gently warm your cream

When heating cream for the filling or frosting, keep the heat low and steady. Overheating can cause it to split, leaving an oily layer that’s tricky to fix. A gentle steam is enough before mixing with chocolate.

3. Prep the cranberries

If your dried cranberries are leathery, rehydrate them in warm water for 5–7 minutes before mixing into the filling. This makes them slightly plumper, so they're a nice chew but not so wet that they'll extract lots of moisture from the filling with time.

4. Ensure the biscuit base is level

A lopsided base will create thin areas that crumble when cut. Press the crumb mix firmly and evenly into the tart tin using the back of a spoon or the bottom of a glass. Chilling in advance means it will set correctly and not blend with the chocolate layer.

5. Frost when slightly set

It is best to frost the tart when the filling has just started to stiffen but is not yet chilled through. This will allow it to spread and coat the base layer evenly without disturbing it, and provide time for it to set into a clean, shiny top.

6. Chop nuts just before using them as a topping

Freshly chopped pistachios preserve their natural oils and the beautiful green color, making the tart appear lively. If they are chopped too far ahead of time, they will lose their crunch and become dull, particularly during hot weather.

7. Use a warm knife to slice

Warm your knife under running water, dry it, and then cut. This melts through the frosting and filling cleanly, providing a crisp, professional appearance to each slice without scraping crumbs through the layers.