Ultimate Chocolate Hazelnut Trianon Cake
Adapted by JojoM
A luxurious French Trianon cake with hazelnut cookie base, creamy chocolate layer, feuilletine praline crunch and glossy black mirror glaze.
A French Showstopper with Layers of Texture ✨🍫🌰
This Ultimate Chocolate Hazelnut Trianon Cake is everything a true French entremet lover dreams of—crisp cookie base, silky chocolate cream, nutty praline crunch and a flawless black mirror glaze that reflects like glass. It’s a luxurious, textural masterpiece inspired by the classic gâteau Royal (also known as Trianon), reimagined for the modern home baker with professional techniques and flavour depth.
If you love hazelnut praline, creamy chocolate bavarois, or the addictive feuilletine crunch found in high-end French pastries, this dessert is guaranteed to steal the spotlight at any celebration 🎉.
What Makes This Trianon So Special? 😍
This cake stands out thanks to the harmony of textures and flavours:
- Hazelnut Cookie Base — buttery and crisp, with chopped hazelnuts for extra crunch.
- Creamy Chocolate Layer — made like a crème anglaise and enriched with dark chocolate and cocoa paste for a deep, velvety finish.
- Praline & Feuilletine Crunch — the iconic layer that gives Trianon its signature bite.
- Mirror-Gloss Glaze — a dramatic black cocoa glaze for a sleek, elegant finish.
Each layer works together to create balance: nutty, crunchy, creamy, glossy. A true entremet experience.
Tips for a Perfect Mirror Glaze ✨
- Pour at 40°C for the smoothest flow.
- Freeze the cake solid before glazing.
- Blend the glaze to remove bubbles, but avoid incorporating air.
- Let drips fall naturally—don’t touch the glaze once it’s on.
Make-Ahead Friendly for Stress-Free Entertaining 🎂
This dessert is ideal for preparing in advance. The cream layer, crunch and base all store beautifully in the freezer. Glaze on the day of serving and let the shine take over the room.
The Flavour Profile 🍫🌰
Think:
- deep, dark chocolate
- toasted hazelnuts
- buttery feuilletine
- smooth bavarois
- subtle salt to heighten every note
It’s rich without being heavy thanks to the airy mousse-like layer. Every bite includes crunch, silkiness and aroma.
Serving Suggestions 🥄
- Serve chilled but not frozen—about 20 minutes at room temperature is perfect.
- Add a tiny dusting of cocoa powder for a “crackle” effect as shown in many French pâtisserie displays.
- Slice with a hot knife for clean, sharp layers.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe ❤️
- Beautiful enough for birthdays, holidays or elegant dinner parties.
- Uses classic French pastry techniques adapted for home baking.
- Customise the chocolate intensity to your liking.
- A satisfying project that rewards you with stunning results.
Bring the magic of French entremets into your kitchen with this unforgettable chocolate–hazelnut creation. Your guests will be convinced it came straight from a Parisian boutique! ✨🇫🇷🍰
Ultimate Chocolate Hazelnut Trianon Cake
Adapted by JojoMA luxurious French Trianon cake with hazelnut cookie base, creamy chocolate layer, feuilletine praline crunch and glossy black mirror glaze.
Tools Used
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Ingredients
Cookie Dough Base
Creamy Chocolate Layer
Hazelnut Praline
Hazelnut Crunch
Black Mirror Glaze
Finishing
Instructions
Cookie Dough Base
- 1
Cream butter and sugars in a stand mixer.
- 2
Add eggs, then fold in flour, salt and baking soda.
- 3
Mix in chopped hazelnuts.
- 4
Roll dough to 3 mm thickness and chill.
- 5
Cut a 16 cm circle and bake at 180°C for 25 minutes.
Creamy Chocolate Layer
- 1
Prepare a crème anglaise with milk, cream, yolks and sugar.
- 2
Emulsify with chocolate and cocoa paste.
- 3
Add gelatin and blend until smooth.
- 4
Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Hazelnut Praline
- 1
Caramelise sugar and coat hazelnuts.
- 2
Cool, break and blend into a paste.
- 3
Mix in fleur de sel, cocoa butter and feuilletine.
Hazelnut Crunch
- 1
Combine praline, feuilletine and fleur de sel.
Black Mirror Glaze
- 1
Make a syrup with sugar and water, heat to 106°C.
- 2
Add cocoa powder and heated cream.
- 3
Cool to 70°C, add gelatin.
- 4
Blend smooth and refrigerate 24 hours.
Assembly
- 1
Spread creamy chocolate in the mold.
- 2
Add hazelnut crunch layer and cookie disc.
- 3
Top with remaining creamy chocolate.
- 4
Freeze 4 hours.
- 5
Unmold and glaze at 40°C.
- 6
Dust with cocoa powder for a crackle effect.
Comments & Reviews
Marco
4/10/2025
Made this for a birthday and everyone was obsessed.
Lia
4/2/2025
The texture layers were incredible—worth every step!
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Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 slice
* 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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