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Chocolate Meringue Concord Cake Recipe

  • 7 min read
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Chocolate Meringue Concord Cake is a classic French dessert made of crisp chocolate meringue disks layered with a light, airy chocolate mousse. The result is an elegant cake that’s delicate, rich, and not overly sweet. The finished cake is decorated with broken meringue pieces for extra crunch and dramatic texture.

Chocolate concord meringue cake.

This cake feels nostalgic to me. I used to see versions of it in bakery windows long before I realized it was built from meringue. Finding out made it something I could bake myself, including adaptations such as a Passover-friendly version or a lighter white Concorde Cake.

Unlike pavlova, the meringue circles in this cake are baked completely through and layered, producing crisp, slightly chewy disks that contrast beautifully with the airy chocolate filling.

The cake isn’t overly difficult, but it takes a few steps and some chill time, so plan ahead. To simplify the classic recipe, the mousse here is a whipped chocolate ganache that sets into a light, mousse-like filling.

Ingredients

A complete recipe follows in the recipe card below. Here is a quick recap of the key ingredients and suggested substitutions where appropriate:

  • Natural unsweetened cocoa powder — Use natural cocoa rather than Dutch-process for its bright, slightly acidic chocolate flavor that balances the meringue’s sweetness.
  • Cornstarch — You can substitute potato starch. This adds tenderness and helps the meringue slice cleanly.
  • Egg whites — Essential for the meringue. If you have experience with aquafaba, that is the closest vegan alternative, but this recipe is developed for egg whites.
  • Chopped chocolate — I use a mix of milk and dark (72%) chocolate. Choose the chocolate you enjoy; higher cacao content will produce a firmer set ganache.
  • Heavy whipping cream — This is combined with chocolate and then chilled; once cold it is whipped into the mousse. Full-fat cream is required for stability and texture.
  • Cream of tartar — Stabilizes the meringue. If you don’t have it, substitute 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

Equipment

Because the meringue expands significantly, the right tools make the process easier and more reliable:

  • Stand mixer — Recommended for the volume of egg whites. If you only have a hand mixer and aren’t confident whipping a large batch, consider halving the recipe and making it twice.
  • Large piping bag — With a round tip for piping the three meringue disks and the decorative logs. If you don’t have one, you can spoon and smooth the meringue into circles with an offset spatula.
  • Offset spatula — Very useful for spreading the mousse and smoothing the cake surface for a neat finish.
  • Kitchen scale — Helpful for consistent results when measuring eggs and chocolate.

Making the Cake

Below are clear step-by-step directions and images to guide you. Read the timeline and tips so you can prepare without surprises.

Timeline

  • The meringue bakes for two hours and then needs 1–2 hours to cool and fully set. Assemble only when completely cooled to avoid moisture transfer.
  • Ganache must be thoroughly chilled before whipping. Plan for about four hours in the refrigerator; making it the night before is ideal.
  • After assembly, refrigerate the cake for about four hours (or longer) so the mousse firms and the meringue softens slightly for cleaner slices.

Tips and Baker’s Notes

  • Fat prevents egg whites from whipping. Separate eggs while cold and transfer whites to your mixing bowl only if they’re clear of yolk. This prevents wasting all the whites if a yolk breaks.
  • Wash and dry the mixing bowl and whisk attachment thoroughly; any trace of grease will hinder the meringue.
  • Do not overwhip the meringue. Stop when the sugar is incorporated and the mixture is thick, glossy, and stable. Overmixing can cause deflation.
  • When making ganache, heat the cream until small bubbles form at the edges — do not bring it to a rolling boil. Overheating can separate the chocolate.
  • Finely chop the chocolate so it melts evenly when the hot cream is poured over it.
  • Whip the chilled ganache until it lightens in color and holds whisk marks; overwhipping can cause it to collapse.

Make the Chocolate Meringue

A food processor bowl with sugar and cocoa powder.
Measure the sugar, cornstarch and cocoa powder in a food processor.
A food processor bowl with cocoa powder mixture.
Process for about 20–30 seconds to evenly combine the dry ingredients.
A stand mixer with egg whites and cream of tartar.
Measure the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar into a clean mixing bowl.
Gradually adding cocoa-sugar into egg whites while mixing in a stand mixer.
Whip until foamy, then add the cocoa-sugar mixture one tablespoon at a time.
A stand mixer with a bowl filled with chocolate meringue and a whisk attachment.
Beat to a thick, glossy meringue that holds stiff peaks.
A baking sheet lined with parchment paper topped with a meringue disk and logs.
Pipe three 8-inch circles for the cake and the remaining meringue into logs for decoration. Bake as instructed below.

Make the Chocolate Mousse

Pouring cream into a bowl with chopped chocolate.
Bring 1 1/2 cups of cream and the brown sugar to a gentle simmer, then pour over the chopped chocolate and let it rest.
A bowl with smooth chocolate ganache and cream with a spatula.
Stir until smooth, add the remaining cream, cover, and refrigerate until completely chilled.
A mixer bowl with whipped chocolate ganache.
Whip the chilled ganache until light and mousse-like; stop when whisk marks are visible and the mixture is airy.
Broken meringue pieces.
Cut the meringue logs into small pieces for decorating the sides and top.
A hand spreading chocolate mousse over a chocolate meringue pieces.
Place a meringue disk on the serving plate, spread about one third of the mousse, then repeat for two more layers.
A hand placing pieces of chocolate meringue over the sides of concord cake.
Decorate by pressing the meringue pieces randomly around the sides and top to cover gaps and create texture.

Slicing and Storage

Use a sharp serrated knife held at a slight angle to slice the cake; avoid pressing down. Expect some crumbling—part of the charm of this rustic, textural dessert. Serve chilled.

The ganache-based filling will keep for about five days in the refrigerator, so store the assembled cake refrigerated for up to five days. If you prepare the ganache far in advance, use it within the same timeframe.

A slice of concord chocolate meringue cake.

Classic Chocolate Concord Cake | Simplified

Crisp chocolate meringue disks layered and coated with whipped chocolate ganache. The cake is finished with broken meringue pieces for an elegant, textured look.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Servings: 12 people
Author: Dikla Levy Frances

Ingredients

Chocolate Meringue

  • 10 large egg whites (about 330 g)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 cups sugar (500 g)
  • 3/4 cup natural cocoa powder (65 g)
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Chocolate Filling

  • 2 cups chopped chocolate (about 340 g)
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar (about 70 g)
  • 2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream (600 ml)

Instructions

Chocolate Mousse (make ahead)

  1. Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl.
  2. Heat 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) of the cream with the brown sugar over medium heat until small bubbles appear at the edges—do not boil. Remove from heat.
  3. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit a few minutes to soften the chocolate, then stir until smooth. If necessary, use a double boiler to gently finish melting.
  4. Add the remaining cream, cover the bowl and refrigerate until completely chilled (3–4 hours or overnight).
  5. When chilled, whip the ganache in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until light and airy. Stop as soon as the mixture holds whisk marks and becomes mousse-like.

Make the Chocolate Meringue

  1. In a food processor, combine the sugar (500 g), cocoa powder (65 g) and cornstarch (2 tsp). Process 20–30 seconds to blend evenly, then transfer to a bowl.
  2. In a clean, dry mixing bowl, combine the egg whites (330 g), salt (1/2 tsp) and cream of tartar (1/2 tsp). Whip on high speed until foamy, about 30 seconds.
  3. With the mixer on high, add the sugar-cocoa mixture one tablespoon at a time, pausing briefly between additions. Continue whipping until the meringue is glossy, thick and stable. Avoid overmixing.
  4. Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Line three large baking sheets with parchment paper and trace an 8-inch circle on each sheet as a guide. Turn the paper over so the pencil mark doesn’t touch the meringue.
  5. Fill a large piping bag with meringue and pipe three 8-inch circles onto the prepared sheets. Pipe the remaining meringue into long logs for decoration.
  6. Bake the sheets on separate racks for 2 hours, rotating the pans midway for even baking. Turn the oven off and let the meringue cool inside the oven for 30–60 minutes.

Assemble

  1. Cut the meringue logs into 1.5–2 inch pieces for decorating.
  2. Place one meringue disk on your serving plate and spread about one third of the whipped ganache (approximately 1 cup) on top. Repeat with the second and third disks.
  3. Use the remaining ganache to coat the outside of the cake with an offset spatula, smoothing the surface as you prefer.
  4. Press the cut meringue pieces around the sides and on top of the cake, filling gaps with crumbs from trimming so the cake is fully decorated.
  5. Refrigerate for 3–4 hours to allow the mousse to set and the meringue to soften slightly for cleaner slices.
  6. Store in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Notes

  • Ensure bowls and utensils are free of grease to get maximum volume from the egg whites. Wiping the bowl with a paper towel lightly moistened with lemon juice is an extra precaution.
  • Finely chop the chocolate so it melts quickly and evenly when mixed with hot cream.
  • Choose the chocolate percentage you prefer; higher cocoa content yields a firmer set ganache and a less sweet filling.