JojoM

Crisp cocoa meringue cakes layered with chocolate praline cream, vanilla Chantilly and glossy chocolate caramel for an indulgent French-style dessert.
Indulgent, elegant and wonderfully textural, these chocolate meringue cakes bring together everything you love about French pâtisserie—crisp cocoa meringue, silky praline cream, lush Chantilly and a glossy chocolate caramel that ties each bite together. If you enjoy complex, multi-component desserts that deliver on both flavour and finesse, this recipe is a true showstopper.
These individual chocolate entremets are also ideal for entertaining because each component can be made in advance, allowing you to assemble the cakes fresh on the day—ensuring that the meringue stays beautifully crisp. 🎉
This recipe layers contrasting textures and deep, sophisticated flavours:
It’s the type of dessert you’d expect in a boutique French pastry shop—only now you can create it at home. 🇫🇷
The base structure of each cake is formed by delicate cocoa meringue cylinders, piped and baked until completely crisp. These create the signature “open sandwich” shape that frames the creams beautifully.
A light crème anglaise is transformed into French buttercream, then combined with pastry cream to build depth and smoothness. The result is velvety and beautifully stable.
Roasted hazelnuts, caramelised sugar, cocoa nibs and fleur de sel are blended with grapeseed oil into a glossy praline paste. This gives the dessert its nutty backbone.
This is where everything merges—pastry cream, praline, melted dark chocolate and buttercream. It pipes with a silky ribboning texture and firms nicely when chilled.
Soft, lightly sweetened and fragrant with vanilla bean, it brings balance to the richer chocolate components.
Cooked to the perfect stage for depth and shine, this sauce adds bitterness, sweetness and a velvety flow that finishes the cakes beautifully.
Assembling these cakes feels like building a tiny entremet:
The final result is a dessert that’s crisp, creamy, rich and utterly irresistible.
You can prepare all the creams, praline and caramel ahead of time. Meringues can also be baked in advance and stored airtight. Simply assemble right before serving so everything stays fresh and crisp.
Can I make these cakes ahead?
Yes—make all the components ahead and store them chilled. Assemble on the day of serving to maintain the meringue’s crispness.
Approx. 620 kcal • 44g fat • 26g saturated fat • 190mg cholesterol • 120mg sodium • 49g carbs • 3g fibre • 44g sugar • 8g protein
Amélie: “Crisp meringue with silky praline—absolutely divine!” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mark: “A long recipe but very clear. The components can be made ahead.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sara: “Needed longer drying time in my oven but the texture was perfect.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Crisp cocoa meringue cakes layered with chocolate praline cream, vanilla Chantilly and glossy chocolate caramel for an indulgent French-style dessert.

Bake the meringue at low temperature until completely dry so it stays crisp.
Chill each component before assembly for the cleanest layers.
A thermometer is essential for the Italian meringue and chocolate caramel.
Assemble on the day of serving so the meringue stays crisp.
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Preheat oven to 200°F (90°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Whip egg whites to medium peaks, gradually adding superfine sugar.
Fold in confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder.
Pipe meringue cylinders and dust with cocoa.
Bake 1 hour until crisp; cool completely.
Prepare crème anglaise with milk, sugar and yolks; cool.
Cook sugar and water to 121°C; pour into whipped egg whites to make Italian meringue.
Whip butter until light; add crème anglaise, then fold in Italian meringue.
Chill 2 hours.
Whisk yolk, sugar, custard powder and flour.
Heat milk and cream; temper yolks; cook until thick.
Stir in cocoa butter, gelatin, butter and mascarpone.
Cover and chill.
Toast hazelnuts; make caramel with sugar.
Add hazelnuts, cocoa nibs and salt; cool.
Blend with grapeseed oil until smooth.
Loosen pastry cream in mixer.
Add praline and melted chocolate.
Whip buttercream and fold into chocolate mixture.
Chill 1 hour.
Mix cream, mascarpone, sugar and vanilla.
Blend briefly and strain; chill in piping bag.
Cook first glucose to 190°C.
Heat cream, milk, sugar and second glucose.
Combine mixtures, cook to 105°C.
Cool slightly; add chocolate, butter and salt.
Blend in remaining milk; strain and chill.
Pipe a line of chocolate praline cream.
Place meringue cylinders on both sides.
Pipe Chantilly in the centre.
Drizzle praline and caramel.
Finish with chocolate shavings.
9/18/2025
Needed longer drying time in my oven but the texture was perfect.
6/2/2025
A long recipe but very clear. The components can be made ahead.
4/10/2025
Crisp meringue with silky praline—absolutely divine!
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Serving Size: 1 cake
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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