A velvety white chocolate tart with raspberry (coulis) encased in a sweet lemon pie crust that hits the flavor jackpot.
This crisp lemon tart shell has a zesty taste and perfectly complements the rich white chocolate ganache tart filling. Tangy raspberry coulis completes the picture, balancing all the flavors and preventing it from being too sweet. This white chocolate raspberry tart is an elegant dessert for dinner parties or special occasions as you can make it in advance, too.
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Ingredients
Lemon pastry
- Unsalted butter: The temperature of the butter is important. It needs to be soft enough to cream with the sugar, but not too soft. Always use unsalted butter to control both the quality and quantity of salt in a recipe.
- All-purpose flour: Use AP flour (also known as plain flour) in this lemon pastry which is a medium-strength flour often used in baked goods. Alternatively, you can also use pastry flour (T45 flour) if you have any.
- Powdered sugar: I use powdered sugar (also known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar) to make sweet shortcrust pastry (pâte sablée) that we cream together with butter.
- Egg yolk: Egg yolk adds richness and extra fat to the pastry as well as acts as a binding agent for the other ingredients.
- Water: I water down the egg yolk to give a bit of added moisture to the dough
- Lemon zest: Fresh lemon zest gives such a zesty kick to this pastry, I love it!
White chocolate tart filling
- White chocolate: The quality of white chocolate can vary hugely, so make sure you buy from a good brand. Aim for white chocolate with a cocoa butter content of at least 28%.
- Heavy cream: High-quality heavy cream (or double cream) makes a deliciously thick and decadent white chocolate ganache tart filling.
Raspberry coulis
- Raspberries: You can use fresh raspberries or frozen raspberries in the coulis.
- Powdered sugar: Raspberry coulis can be quite tart, depending on the season. Sifted powdered sugar tames it and brings it back to the sweet side.
- Lemon juice: Lemon juice brings out the raspberry flavor even more, and tames the sweetness of the tart.
See the recipe card for the full quantities and step-by-step instructions. I have also included all my tips on how to make sweet pastry and whipped white chocolate ganache for this delicious white chocolate tart with raspberry (coulis).
Is white chocolate actually chocolate?
White chocolate is a product made from cocoa beans from the cacao tree, so in that sense, it is chocolate! However, it only contains cocoa butter and does not contain cocoa solids so some people argue that it isn't. White chocolate also contains milk powder, sugar, lecithin, and flavorings like vanilla. The better the quality of white chocolate, the higher the percentage of cocoa butter so always check the label.
How to make white chocolate raspberry tart
Lemon pâte sablée tart shell
- Cream the butter and sifted powdered sugar together with a stiff spatula by stirring and pressing down until it forms a pale and creamy consistency.
- Cut the sieved flour into the butter and sugar mixture using the side of a semi-flexible rubber spatula, until it resembles ground almonds with no big lumps of butter. Stir through the lemon zest.
- Add half of the egg yolks and water mixed together to the flour mixture whilst stirring with a wooden spoon or with your fingers. Add more very gradually until you form a soft, slightly sticky but not wet dough. If you need more liquid, add single teaspoons of water one at a time.
- Turn the lemon pastry dough out onto a piece of plastic food wrap, flatten it out into a disc about one or two inches thick, wrap it, and rest it in the fridge for one hour.
- Prepare a 10-inch tart tin by greasing it lightly with butter and dusting over a fine layer of powdered sugar.
- Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface into a circle 3-4mm thick. Take care to turn it over and move it around a few times so it does not stick to the work surface.
- Line the tart tin with the lemon pastry, gently pressing it into the edges and trimming excess. Cover in plastic food wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Baking the lemon tart shell
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius / 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line the lemon pâte sablée pastry shell with parchment paper and fill it with baking beads (or uncooked rice) to prevent the base from rising up whilst cooking.
- Bake the pastry case for 15 minutes, before removing the baking beads and continuing to bake for a further 5-10 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer the tart shell to a wire cooling rack and leave it to cool completely.
Top tip
The base of the pastry tart case should feel dry and firm when it's fully baked and not spongy when you touch it with your finger.
How to make white chocolate ganache
- Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium until it reaches the steaming point (just before boiling).
- Break/chop the white chocolate into small pieces in a bowl and pour over the hot cream. Stir continuously to let the white chocolate melt into the cream.
- Leave the ganache to cool and thicken in the fridge for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep it stable and combined.
- Now whip the white chocolate ganache to thicken further.
- Pour the whipped cream white chocolate ganache into the lemon pie crust and chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours to set.
How to make raspberry coulis
- Blend raspberries until smooth in a food processor. Sieve to remove the seeds.
- Whisk in the powdered sugar and lemon juice, adding more sugar if you like it sweeter.
- Serve the white chocolate tart with raspberry coulis drizzled over the top and enjoy!
Plating suggestions
Leave this white chocolate tart whole and decorate it with the raspberry coulis - it makes an excellent centerpiece for dessert. Colored plates work better than plain white as the colors will stand out beautifully. Garnish with some fresh raspberries as well to add some texture.
Wine pairing
Chocolate is a tricky thing to pair with wine, but an Australian shiraz can work well as it is often described as both having chocolatey and raspberry flavors. Otherwise, I'd serve a raspberry liquor or even a Limoncello to highlight the citrus.
Expert tips on making pâte sablée
- Soften the butter slightly so it's easier to work with, but do not let it melt. I recommend just getting it out of the fridge 30 minutes earlier and cutting it into small pieces.
- Always do pastry work in a cool kitchen.
- You can use an electric whisk or food processor to cream your butter and sugar and mix in the egg, but do not overwork it.
- Do not add all the egg yolk and water at once. Depending on a variety of factors including the size of the egg yolk and the water content in your butter, you may end up making it too wet if you add all of it in one go. Take your time, and allow the pastry dough to come together slowly. Remember you can always add more liquid, but you can't take it away.
Variations
There are a few ways you can change up this white chocolate tart with raspberry (coulis) recipe to suit you. A good tart is one of my favorite home recipes as you can adapt it and use it as a base for other flavors. Let me know what you make!
More lemon - if you want to add even more lemon flavor then you can infuse the whipping cream with grated lemon rind before straining it out and mixing it with the chocolate as per the instructions. Alternatively use lime or orange for a different citrus flavor instead!
Chocolate pie crust - Substituting a tablespoon of good quality cocoa powder for a tablespoon of flour will give you a dark chocolate pastry crust.
Use small tart pans instead of one larger one to make white chocolate raspberry mini tarts!
Love white chocolate? Try this showstopper of a triple-decker Italian pistachio cake I baked for my birthday last year.
Equipment
Always weigh ingredients using a digital scale for accuracy.
Several large mixing bowls will mean you always have enough for your baking!
A decent sieve will ensure smooth raspberry coulis, no lumpy flour, and a perfectly fine consistency of powdered sugar.
A rubber spatula is perfect for combining ingredients and can be used for all your recipes.
Use a good-quality saucepan to heat the cream so that it does not scald on the bottom.
A 10-inch loose base tart tin gives the perfect-sized white chocolate ganache tart with raspberries.
A blender and an electric whisk perfectly blend and combines ingredients to the right consistency.
Storage
Store any leftover raspberry white chocolate tart in an airtight container in the fridge, and consume within 3 days.
The sweet lemon pastry will freeze well before or after baking. Wrap carefully to prevent freezer burn and use it within one month.
FAQ
Nestlé invented white chocolate in the 1930s.
White chocolate is made of cocoa butter, milk powder, sugar, and flavorings so it behaves differently to dark chocolate which contains high quantities of cocoa solids.
Good quality white chocolate should never be pure white, it should always be ivory or cream in color as that is the color of cocoa butter.
Yes, lightly grease the molds with butter and dust over a fine layer of powdered sugar.
Ensure the tart shell is fully blind-baked and cooled completely on a wire rack to dry out before filling.
Recipe Card
White Chocolate Tart With Raspberry (coulis)
Equipment
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 Sieve
- 1 rubber spatula
- 1 10 inch tart tin
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Food processor or blender
- 1 electric whisk or stand mixer
Ingredients
Lemon pastry (makes 480 grams sweet lemon pastry)
- 220 grams all purpose flour or plain flour
- 100 grams powdered sugar /confectioners sugar or icing sugar
- 100 grams unsalted butter
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest
Whipped white chocolate ganache filling
- 300 grams white chocolate
- 200 ml heavy cream /double cream
- 30 grams unsalted butter
Raspberry coulis
- 250 grams raspberries
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar /confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Lemon pâte sablée tart shell
- Cream the butter and sifted powdered sugar together with a stiff spatula by stirring and pressing down until it forms a pale and creamy consistency.
- Cut the sieved flour into the butter and sugar mixture using the side of a semi-flexible rubber spatula, until it resembles ground almonds with no big lumps of butter. Stir through the lemon zest.
- Add half of the egg yolks and water mixed together to the flour mixture whilst stirring with a wooden spoon or with your fingers. Add more very gradually until you form a soft, slightly sticky but not wet dough. If you need more liquid, add single teaspoons of water one at a time.
- Turn the lemon pastry dough out onto a piece of plastic food wrap, flatten it out into a disc about one or two inches thick, wrap it, and rest it in the fridge for one hour. Prepare a 10-inch tart tin by greasing it lightly with butter and dusting over a fine layer of powdered sugar.
- Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface into a circle 3-4mm thick. Take care to turn it over and move it around a few times so it does not stick to the work surface.
- Line the tart tin with the lemon pastry, gently pressing it into the edges. Cover in plastic food wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Baking the tart case
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius / 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line the lemon pâte sablée pastry shell with parchment paper and fill it with baking beads (or uncooked rice).
- Bake the pastry case for 15 minutes, remove the baking beads, and bake for a further 5-10 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the tart shell to a wire cooling rack and leave it to cool completely.
Whipped white chocolate ganache tart filling
- Measure the heavy cream into a saucepan and warm it over medium heat until it reaches a steaming point.
- Place chopped white chocolate into a bowl and pour over the hot cream over the top. Stir to melt the chocolate into the cream.
- Cover and cool the ganache in the fridge for 30 minutes to thicken, stirring occasionally to keep it stable and combined.
- Whisk the white chocolate ganache to thicken it further, then pour the whipped white chocolate ganache into the lemon pastry case. Return to the fridge for a few hours until set.
Raspberry coulis
- Blend the raspberries until smooth and sieve to remove the seeds. Whisk in the lemon juice and sieved powdered sugar.
- Drizzle raspberry coulis over the white chocolate ganache tart and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Gill says
This was amazing, I’ve always wanted to make more desserts with white chocolate and this is a keeper. I’ll definitely be making it again! Loved the flavours
Saskia says
I loved how thick and smooth the white chocolate filling was, it was like eating truffles! So decadent but the lemon and raspberry stopped it being too heavy and sweet
Giangi says
Absolutely amazing! Thank you for all the tips and suggestions, as a non-baker I so appreciate them. Love raspberry and all the flavors in this wonderful pastry.
Thank you for sharing
Sue says
I love white chocolate and this tart highlights the flavor perfectly!
Bianca says
This was absolutely amazing! Thank you so much for the awesome recipe
Sarah says
This looks so luscious!
Mallory says
Soooooo good! Love this recipe!
Shilpa says
This is such a delightful dessert. Loved the combination of white chocolate and raspberries.
nancy says
i really enjoyed how rich and decadent this tart is!! pinned
KATRINA WILDE says
Amazing recipe. While my tart did not look quite as beautiful it tasted phenomenal. The lemon in the crust was not something I had ever thought to do but it's helped cut through the sweetness of the white chocolate perfectly. Definitely going to make this again soon!