Looking for a decadent holiday treat to cozy up with in front of the fireplace? This Baileys Hot Chocolate Tart is the perfect way to ring in the Holidays.
Who else drinks Bailey’s Hot Chocolate religiously on Christmas Eve? 🙋♀️ It has become one of my favorite traditions in our house, especially in the form of these Baileys Hot Chocolate Bombs.
Warming, cozy, nostalgic hot chocolate spiked with creamy, sweet, slightly boozy Baileys immediately makes me feel… well, jolly!
But here’s the thing. We live in the south. And we are lucky if it gets cold enough to enjoy a hot chocolate without melting from just holding the hot mug. So sometimes that piping hot liquid Christmas in a cup is just not practical.
But a tart with all those flavors that can be enjoyed at room temp? Now we’re talkin’.
Okay, let me just start by getting this off of my chest— I am NOT a pastry chef. And most tart recipes I’ve found require chilling several times, rolling and folding, and pastry blenders and ice baths, and, and, and… They all just left me thinking that there has GOT to be an easier way!
This tart recipe is accessible. If I can do it, so can you. But just in case, I’ve documented every step to make it foolproof. So, lets dive in!
Baileys Hot Chocolate Tart Ingredients
Here’s everything you need for the Tart crust:
- Unsalted butter. It should be frozen. Put it in your freezer at least a couple of hours before you start baking!
- All-purpose flour. This will be the base of your crust dough.
- Brown sugar. For a little sweetness and flavor.
- Salt. To elevate the other flavors and contrast the Baileys hot chocolate filling.
- Ice water. It should be cold so that it doesn’t melt the butter when you add it.
- Egg. To bind it together. You will add the yolk to the crust and keep the white to brush over the crust later.
Here’s everything you need for the Baileys Hot Chocolate Filling:
- Heavy whipping cream. For that creamy filling texture.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips. Or dark chocolate chips if you prefer.
- Granulated sugar. For sweetness.
- Cocoa powder. For extra chocolatey flavor.
- Baileys Irish Cream. The star of this dish!
- Egg. To bind the filling together.
Baileys Hot Chocolate Tart Tips and Tricks
Prep That Pan
I use my trusty quiche dish for this recipe, which gives me those beautiful, scalloped edges. It does not, however, have a removable bottom. This means, to save myself from a kitchen breakdown, I have to put some time and thought into prepping my pan.
Get yourself a big piece of parchment paper, turn your quiche pan upside down, and use a pencil to trace the shape of the bottom of your dish.
Use scissors to cut out on the lines, but leave two 5-inch flaps of paper to use as little handles to pull your tart out.
Spray your pan generously on the bottom and sides, and place your parchment paper flat on your pan, with your flaps pointed up as pictured above. The cooking spray should help it stay in place.
Grate Your Butter
Our goal is to integrate the butter in such a way that it’s easily combined with the other ingredients while retaining its solid form. In other words, we don’t want the butter to be melted until it is in the oven.
The best way to do this is by using a food processor or cheese grater to shred your butter.
This will allow you to integrate it into your crust while still keeping some of it solid. When the butter melts in the oven, it leaves you with that flaky, buttery amazingness we are looking for in this tart crust.
If you know you’ll be making this delicious treat, throw a stick and 1/2 of butter in the freezer at least a couple of hours beforehand. It will make grating it so much easier!
Green tip: Look for organic and palm oil-free butter if you can. Buying organic means you are supporting farms that do not use damaging pesticides and fertilizers, and palm oil production is a huge driver behind deforestation.
Mix Your Dry Ingredients
Once your butter is grated, use a whisk to mix together the flour, brown sugar, and salt. The whisk will ensure that you have no lumps.
Separate Your Yolk and White
To separate the egg white from the yolk, crack your eggshell in half over a bowl and transfer the egg yolk back and forth between either half of the shell, allowing the egg white to fall into the bowl.
Green tip: Look for pasture-raised eggs (over free-range or cage-free) to support agriculture that is less reliant on chemicals and fossil fuels.
You’ll add the yolk to the mixture but save the white to brush on top, after the crust bakes for 30 minutes.
Use Your Hands
Once the egg is separated, add the yolk to the crust dough. Set the white aside. At this stage, add the cold water, too.
The tart crust is made from a super crumbly dough. The easiest way to bring it together is with clean hands.
Just dig right in and use two fists to squeeze the dough, over and over until there is no loose flour left.
Press it into your Pie Dish
After you mix all of the ingredients for your crust together, you can expect a crumbly dough. You’ll use your hands to press the dough into your baking dish.
First use your fist to press the dough into your prepped pan.
Then, use your thumbs to pinch the dough up the sides of your pan. Try to keep pressing until the dough reaches at least 3/4 of the way to the top.
Keep pushing up against the inside of the pan edges until you have a thin layer of dough throughout, keeping it as even as possible.
Then, add a piece of parchment paper and pie weights on top and bake for 30 minutes. The pie weights will avoid any expansion or bubbling of your crust, keeping that flat even surface for your Baileys Hot Chocolate Tart filling to sit on.
Time For those Egg Whites
After baking your tart base for 30 minutes, take it out of the oven and remove the pie weights and parchment paper.
The egg wash plays two major roles here. It helps get that beautiful golden-brown color, and it seals off your crust, so the filling won’t soak in and make it soggy.
Don’t forget to brush the edges, too. That’s the only part you can see peeking through once your tart is filled, so we really want that beautiful color to shine through!
Let Me Fill You In
Are you ready for the secret sauce that makes this tart the only tart you’ll ever want for a cozy winter treat? This Baileys Hot Chocolate Tart gets allllllll its flavor from the filling. And guess what? It’s filling time!
Heat your cream in the microwave or over a double boiler until it just starts to simmer.
Remove it from the heat, and fold in chocolate chips. Keep stirring until the chocolate chips start to melt and integrate into your cream. You may have little bits of chocolate that remain solid, and that’s okay! It will all melt and bake together in the oven.
Place your chocolate and cream mixture in the freezer to cool for about 10 minutes.
Add Your Sugar and Cocoa
Once your chocolate cream is cool, use a hand mixer to whip it until it starts to thicken. Add your sugar and cocoa powder with a hand mixer on medium speed. This should take about 2-3 minutes.
Add the Baileys and Egg
Lastly, add the Baileys Irish Cream and the egg. Use the hand mixer again, but this time only mix just enough to combine. We don’t want to overbeat in this step.
Pour and Bake
Always make sure your crust is completely cool before pouring your filling in.
Pour your filling into the cooled crust until it is about 3/4 of the way full to the top.
It’s important to remember that the crust is baked at 350°F but once your filling is in, you’ll need to bring your oven down to 325°F.
Once you pour your filling in, give it a little shake to release any air bubbles. You want your tart completely smooth.
If you still see any little bubbles, you can use a toothpick to smooth them out!
Check for the Wobble
Bake the tart for 30 minutes at 325°F. Then, remove it from the oven and give it a delicate shake.
You should see just the smallest amount of a wobble in the very center of your tart. If it’s super loose, turn your oven off and stick it back in for 2-5 more minutes.
Storing your Baileys Dessert
This Baileys dessert should be covered and stored in the refrigerator. It will keep for 5-7 days in the fridge.
Unfortunately, this tart, like most chocolate tarts, does not freeze well.
Why You Should Make this Baileys Hot Chocolate Tart
- It’s boozy. The Baileys flavor is definitely prominent in this Hot Chocolate Tart.
- It’s chocolatey. Deep chocolatey filling makes this a chocolate lovers dream.
- The flakey crust. The contrast of the silky-smooth filling and the flaky tart crust makes for the perfect combo.
If you love this Baileys Hot Chocolate Tart and are looking for more Holiday recipe ideas, check out these Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Cookies and my Cute Christmas Cookie Cake.
Baileys Hot Chocolate Tart
Equipment
- Food Processor *or*
Ingredients
Tart Crust
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, frozen (¾ cup = 1 ½ sticks)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons ice water
- 1 large egg (separated)
Baileys Hot Chocolate Filling
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup Baileys Original Irish Cream
- 1 large egg
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prep your quiche pan or pie dish by spraying and lining it (scroll up for detailed directions) and use a food processor or cheese grater to shred your butter.
- Mix together flour, sugar, and salt, and add your grated butter. Use your hands to combine until butter is evenly distributed throughout your dry ingredients.
- Add the yolk of 1 egg (keep the egg white, you’ll need it later!) and the water. Use your hands to mix until your create a crumbly dough,
- Pour your dough into your prepped pan and use your fist to push it down, then use your thumbs to pinch it up the sides. Continue to push and pinch until you have a thin, even layer of pastry lining your pan.
- Cover your dough with a piece of parchment paper and place pie weights on top and bake for 30 minutes.
- Keep your oven on and remove the pie weights and parchment paper. Brush the egg white evenly over your half-baked crust.
- Put your crust back in the oven for ten more minutes and then set it on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Filling
- Bring your oven temperature down to 325°F.
- Heat your cream by microwaving for 90-seconds on high or over a double boiler until it starts to simmer. Remove from heat immediately and add your chocolate chips. Stir continuously until your chocolate chips are melted. There may be a few bits of chocolate that remain solid. Put it in the freezer to cool for 10 minutes.
- Once your chocolate and cream mixture is cold, use a hand mixer to whip it until it starts to bubble and thicken—about 3 minutes.
- Add the sugar and cocoa, and whip on high. Then add the Baileys and the egg and mix on low until just combined. You should have a thick, chocolaty filling.
- Once your crust is completely cooled, pour your filling in. Your crust should be filled almost to the top, leaving about 1/4 of an inch of space from the top of the outer crust.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 325°F. Remove from the oven and give it a delicate shake. You should see just a little bit of a wobble in the center. If it's super loose, turn your oven off and stick it back in for 2-5 more minutes.
- Allow to cool completely before removing your tart from the pan. Option to decorate with powdered sugar and chocolate swirls.
Pro Tips
- Note that the crust bakes at 350°F, but once your filling is poured in, you need to bring your oven down to 325°F.
- Make sure your crust is completely cool before pouring your filling in.
- Your cream and melted chocolate mixture will thicken easier if it’s cool. Keep it in the refrigerator while you are still working on your crust.
1 thought on “Cozy Baileys Hot Chocolate Tart”
Hehe, we will try… or maybe I’ll have to just whip up another one