Chocolate Nut Tart {Tarta De Tres Nueces}
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This Chocolate Nut Tart or Tarta De Tres Nueces, is a combination of honey, orange zest, hazelnuts, pecans, and walnuts tucked into a tender, flaky all-butter crust.
I first tasted the chocolate nut tart or Tarte des Tres Nueces many years ago. One bite and I knew I had to have the recipe.
The pastry is brushed with dark chocolate, then three types of nuts are mixed with an orange infused honey and cream filling and baked. Drizzle it with a bit of extra chocolate for a pretty presentation.
This recipe is from my friend Henry, from Nicaragua. Tarta des tres nueces, which means “three nut tart” is a South American dessert, and since then, friends of mine from El Salvador say they have tasted similar tarts back home. (This was originally published on April 5th, 2012 and has been updated to contain nutritional information. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn commission on qualifying purchases.)
What kind of nuts go in this tart?
The original recipe contains pecans, hazelnuts and walnuts, but I’ve also made it with almonds too. You can also make a single nut tart, like a Hazelnut Tart, using just chopped hazelnuts. There was a time when I thought I never wanted to see another hazelnut, let alone taste one. The French love hazelnuts. I seems like every French dessert has them. The pastry department in culinary school kept all the food supplies in giant buckets, I guess the idea was that if it was all there for the taking, we wouldn’t have to sneak anything. It worked, I ate a Frenchman’s lifetime of hazelnuts and couldn’t look another one for at least 20 years! Now I love hazelnuts and a hazelnut tart would be fabulous!
In addition to lots of nuts, the filling contains honey, orange or tangerine zest, brown sugar, vanilla and a little bit of cream. I love the combination of honey and nuts. Think baklava and rugelach, but way less work!
How to make this Chocolate and Honey Nut Tart
It’s also super easy to make. If you don’t want to make your own crust from scratch, just buy prepared dough from the freezer section of your supermarket and form it into a tart pan like this one.
- Use a tart pan with a removable bottom. This is not a “pie”, it’s much thinner and a bit more elegant. You don’t want a thick crust.
- Prebake the tart shell until it’s a light golden brown.
- Use good quality dark or bittersweet chocolate on the base of the tart. The darker chocolate balances the sweetness of the tart.
Assemble all the ingredients.
Weigh or measure the nuts. You’ll need 3 cups or 1 1/2 pounds of hazelnuts, pecans and walnuts.
Roll out the pie dough. Prebake the crust.
While the shell is baking, make the filling.
Brush the bottom of the shell with warmed dark or bittersweet chocolate.
Pour the nuts into the shell.
Spread the nuts evenly. Bake.
If desired, drizzle remaining melted chocolate over tart. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream if desired.
Honey Nut Tart {Tarta De Tres Nueces}
Ingredients
- 1 9" tart shell
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate melted
- 4 ounces unsalted butter 1 stick
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups nuts hazelnuts, pecans and walnuts, chop first and then measure. (1 1/2 pounds total)
- 1 tablespoon tangerine or orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350* F. Roll out pastry and pre-bake tart shell for 10-15 minutes until light golden brown.
- While tart shell is pre-baking, make honey nut filling. In and medium saucepan, add butter, honey, cream, and brown sugar and bring to a boil, stirring.
- Let it boil 3 to 4 minutes, remove from heat and stir in nuts, orange zest and vanilla.
- Remove tart shell from oven. Let cool slightly. Melt chocolate in a double boiler.
- Paint the bottom of the shell with a thin layer of the melted chocolate. Save any extra for drizzling.
- Pour nut mixture into tart shell and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- Let cool completely. Drizzle with extra chocolate if desired. Serve with extra melted chocolate and freshly whipped cream.
Thanks Cyntia, I hope every body enjoy it
Thanks Henry, I’ve updated the blog info!
wow this looks great!
It is delicious Laureen. I love the combination of honey and nuts together. It’s a nice change from pecan pie too!
This looks fabulous!
This has Thanksgiving written all over it!
Love love love this, and making it for my Mama this weekend!
Mmmm all that brown sugar and honey, scrumptious!
I’ve pinned this stunning nut and honey tart (with chocolate, no less!!). Gorgeous and for sure a delicious treat!
Cynthia, this looks and sounds wonderful! I’ve always been a huge fan of hazelnuts in baked goods, it reminds me of Germany. This tart sounds absolutely delicious!
Swoon. You had me at the start, but once you mentioned hazelnuts, which I adore, I was totally hooked. The tart looks delicious.
Gorgeous flavors here! Nuts, chocolate and honey… so good!!
This tart is gorgeous! I love anything with hazelnuts so this is something I need to make!
This looks delicious! I love that it seems pretty easy!
I was totally thinking this looked like an easier version of baklava! Definitely going to have to try this.
I LOVE nuts in desserts so I would go crazy for this!
What a gorgeous fall dessert…this looks heavenly! xo, Catherine
Thank you Catherine!
Great recipe, my family loved it!
Thank you Susan!
I have saved this recipe for awhile now…and really want to make it…however can I make it with Cashews..Almonds and walnuts ? instead of hazelnuts and pecans? I have a bag of almonds and a bag of cashews that I must use as I have had the until their best buy date …also is it ok if the nuts are salted..I look forward to a reply as I want to make this for someone’s 80th birthday ,,,thank you so very much
Oh my goodness yes! Cashews would be amazing! I say put in what you’ve got! Let me know how it turns out!
I do have one concern …as whole almonds are hard…should I chop them ? I am thinking I should ..thank you so much …I wont be making this until June 8th..so I will let you know sometime after that how it turned out with cashews & Almonds…hope your day is blessed !!
Another great recipe Cynthia! I made it for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it! Has definitely become a favorite in my family.
aww thanks trudy! I appreciate it. I fell in love with it the first time I tasted it!