Chocolate Royal mousse cake
The Chocolate Royal, also known as the Trianon, is a classic of French pastry. This chocolate mousse cake is one of the traditional desserts taught in the French Pastry Chef Certification program (CAP Pâtissier). This chocolate mousse cake is one of the classic desserts taught in the French Pastry Chef Certification program (CAP Pâtissier). It’s made with an almond or hazelnut dacquoise base, a crunchy praline layer that adds texture, and a light, silky dark chocolate mousse. It’s often finished with a mirror glaze or simply dusted with cocoa powder.
Easy to make despite its sophisticated appearance, Royal au Chocolat is perfect for all occasions: festive meals, Easter desserts or birthday cakes. Its melt-in-the-mouth texture and intense chocolate flavours make it a must-have dessert that’s sure to impress.
Table of Contents
Tips and Tricks
The Trianon traditionally consists of a dacquoise base, a crunchy praline feuilletine layer, and a chocolate mousse, dusted with cocoa powder on top.
The chocolate mousse can be made in three different ways: with a simple chocolate whipped cream, a mousse based on custard, or a mousse made with a pâte à bombe, which is more technical but very light.
The lemon crémeux is optional, but it’s an interesting twist to reinvent the Royal, just like adding a second dacquoise if you prefer more texture.
Instead of cocoa powder on top, it can also be fully covered with a chocolate or cocoa-based mirror glaze.
For the decoration, I made a chocolate nest, but you can customize it to your liking, for example, with a chocolate collar.
Below is a version of the royal chocolate cake with 2 dacquoise cookies and a praline crunch.
Ingredients for the chocolate royal
NB: Find the printable recipe card at the end of the content.
For a 10-inch x 2.4-inch cake ring (25 cm x 6 cm)
Almond and Hazelnut Dacquoise Biscuit
- 75 g almond powder
- 75 g powdered sugar
- 30 g granulated sugar
- 100 g egg whites
- Roasted hazelnut chunks
Crunchy praline feuilletine
- 150 g praline paste
- 50 g milk chocolate
- 70 g feuilletine (crushed crêpes Gavotte)
Lemon custard- crémeux (optional)
- 140 g eggs ( 2 yolks and 2 eggs )
- 140 g lemon juice and zest
- 140 g granulated sugar
- 140 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 gelatin sheet ( 2 g of 200 blooms )
Chocolate Mousse with Pâte à Bombe Base
- 220 g granulated sugar
- 55 g water
- 222 g eggs ( 3 yolks and 3 whole eggs, total weight 222 g.) Only egg yolks may be used.
- 440 g dark chocolate with more than 55% cocoa
- 880 g heavy cream with 30% fat content
- 3 sheets of gelatin (normally not used, but the mousse holds better with them, while still remaining light and creamy).
Dark chocolate mirror glaze
- 112 g water
- 225 g glucose
- 225 g granulated sugar
- 225 g dark chocolate over 55% cocoa
- 150 g sweetened condensed milk
- 7 gelatin sheets (2 g each) at 200 blooms. I also use those with 150 blooms and the result is the same. For more details, see the article on high-gloss chocolate mirror glaze.
Preparation steps :
To make hazelnut dacquoise biscuit
Preheat the oven to 190°C (374°F).
Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar. Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually add the granulated sugar to stiffen the meringue. Continue whisking until you get firm peaks with a bird’s beak shape.
Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients (almond flour and powdered sugar) into the meringue in batches, working from the bottom up with a spatula.
Optionally, add some crushed hazelnuts. Transfer the mixture into a piping bag or a freezer bag, and pipe a round disc.
Draw a 20 cm (8-inch) circle on a sheet of parchment paper, then flip it over onto a baking tray. Pipe the batter starting from the center and working outward in a regular spiral.
Dust with powdered sugar using a fine sieve, twice, 3 minutes apart. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Keep an eye on it: the dacquoise should remain pale in color.
Check doneness with a skewer, the dacquoise should stay soft. Trim the edges using a 20 cm ring, then let cool completely.
To make crunchy praline feuilletine
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, then add the praline paste. Mix well until smooth and fully combined.
Remove from the heat and gently fold in the feuilletine.
Spread the crunch layer evenly over the dacquoise, being careful not to go over the edges. Place in the refrigerator or freezer to set, this takes less than 30 minutes.
To make lemon Custard (crémeux) – Christophe Michalak’s version (optional)
Prepare at least 2 hours before assembling the cake
Soak the gelatin in a large bowl of cold water for about 10 minutes before starting the recipe.
In a saucepan, combine the sugar and eggs, stirring gently without whisking.
Add the lemon juice and zest. Stir with a spatula, then heat over medium heat.
Cook the mixture, stirring constantly with the spatula to prevent foam from forming. Once it starts to thicken, you can switch to a whisk.
Remove from the heat when the temperature reaches 83°C (181°F), or when the mixture coats the spatula.
Off the heat, add the squeezed gelatin and stir to combine, then strain the mixture through a fine sieve.
Cover with plastic wrap directly touching the surface and let cool to 40°C (104°F).
Add the butter in small pieces, gradually, blending with an immersion blender to emulsify.
Line a 20 cm (8-inch) ring with plastic wrap, pour the lemon crémeux in to a thickness of less than 1 cm (about ⅓ inch), and freeze until set.
To make chocolate mousse – pâte à bombe base
Prepare once the lemon crémeux has set.
Soak the gelatin in cold water about 10 minutes before starting.
In a stand mixer, beat the 220 g of eggs until pale and frothy.
In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Heat over medium heat and monitor the temperature with a thermometer. Cook the syrup until it reaches 118°C (244°F).
Reduce the mixer speed, then slowly pour the hot syrup along the side of the bowl over the beaten eggs.
Squeeze out the gelatin and add it to the warm mixture. Mix well to incorporate.
Continue whisking until the pâte à bombe has completely cooled.
Melt the chocolate over a bain-marie (double boiler) and keep it at 50°C (122°F).
Whip the cream until soft peaks form, it should be light and not too firm. Add one-third of the whipped cream to the melted chocolate (still at 50°C) and stir to create an emulsion, like a ganache.
Tip: Make sure the chocolate is at 50°C when incorporating the first third of the whipped cream. This prevents the chocolate from seizing or becoming grainy.
Preparation Royal Chocolate Mousse
Fold the pâte à bombe into the chocolate mixture in two additions, alternating with the rest of the whipped cream. Gently mix using a spatula, working from the bottom up to maintain the airy texture.
Use immediately. If you have any mousse left over, you can serve it in small glasses, just look at that beautiful airy texture!
To assemble the cake :
This is an upright assembly, but you can also do it upside down, starting with the mousse and finishing with the biscuit.
Seal the bottom of the 8-inch (25 cm ) ring with plastic wrap, doubling the wrap around the outer edge to prevent the mousse from leaking. Stretch it tightly to ensure a smooth base. Place an acetate collar along the inside of the ring.
Place the ring on a baking tray. Set the dacquoise with the praline crunch in the center, making sure it’s evenly spaced on all sides.
Spoon in a generous layer of chocolate mousse, filling nearly halfway up the ring.
Add the lemon custard on top of the mousse and press it down slightly.
Cover with the remaining chocolate mousse and smooth the surface with a spatula. Gently tap the tray on the counter to settle the mousse and remove any air bubbles.
Freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight. You can also keep it frozen for up to a month.
(I forgot to take a photo of the final step!)
To make chocolate mirror glaze :
Prepare preferably the day before you want to finish the dessert.
You can watch the recipe with the video : Shiny Mirror Glaze
Soak the gelatin in cold water for 10 minutes before starting.
In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and glucose, then bring to a boil at 103°C (217°F). Pour this mixture over the sweetened condensed milk.
Add the squeezed gelatin and stir gently to avoid incorporating air.
Pour everything over the dark chocolate in a tall, narrow container. Let it sit for a minute to allow the chocolate to melt, then gently mix.
Blend with an immersion blender, holding the blender at an angle. Do not lift and lower the blender in and out of the container to avoid incorporating air, which would create bubbles.
Pass through a fine-mesh sieve and transfer to an airtight container. Film directly on the surface and refrigerate until the next day.
The next day, heat the glaze in a double boiler, ensuring the temperature does not exceed 38/40°C (100/104°F).
Blend it again, strain, and use it at a temperature of 30/35°C (86/95°F). Personally, I use it at 33/34°C (91/93°F) for the best viscosity.
Adjust the temperature depending on the glaze’s texture. You can also opt for a cocoa mirror glaze, which is equally excellent.
How to glaze chocolate royal ?
Remove the cake from the freezer and unmold it. Gently pass your hand or a sheet of paper towel over the entire surface to remove any possible frost marks.
Place the entremets either on a rack above a tray or on a smaller, taller container to elevate it, allowing the glaze to drip off easily.
Pour the glaze starting from the center in a continuous, circular motion to cover the entire dessert.
If needed, gently pass a spatula once over the top to smooth it out.
Once the glaze has stopped dripping, transfer the mousse cake to a serving plate and decorate as desired.
Allow the dessert to defrost slowly in the refrigerator for 6 hours or more. After at least 2 hours in the fridge, you can speed up the process by leaving it at room temperature for about an hour.
A gradual defrosting process prevents the entremets from weeping.
Chocolate spaghetti (Easter nest for decoration)
Prepare before finishing the dessert.
Place a baking tray in the freezer for at least 6 hours before starting.
Temper 250 g of dark chocolate: chop the chocolate into small pieces and melt it in a double boiler at 50°C (122°F). Remove from heat and stir frequently to lower the temperature to 26/27°C (79/81°F).
Once the chocolate reaches this temperature, return it to the bain-marie to bring it back up to the working temperature, which is 31/32°C (88/90°F). Pour the chocolate into a ziplock bag and make a small hole in one corner.
Use the bag to make back-and-forth movements from one corner of the frozen tray to the other to form spaghetti-like strands. Trim the edges to remove any thick pieces.
Gather all the chocolate spaghetti and wrap them around a ring placed on a plate. You need to work fairly quickly.
Use a cup to press the edges until the chocolate is well crystallized. If you want a thicker nest, you can layer one nest on top of another or use a larger tray to make more spaghetti.
These chocolate spaghetti can be used to decorate the edges of the entremets, particularly at the base.
Chocolate Royal - Trianon Recipe
INGREDIENTS
For a 10-inch x 2.4-inch cake ring (25 cm x 6 cm)
Almond and Hazelnut Dacquoise Biscuit
- 75 g almond powder
- 75 g powdered sugar
- 30 g granulated sugar
- 100 g egg whites
- Roasted hazelnut chunks
Crunchy praline feuilletine
- 150 g praline paste
- 50 g milk chocolate
- 70 g feuilletine/feuillantine crushed crêpes Gavotte
Lemon custard- crémeux (optional)
- 140 g eggs 2 yolks and 2 eggs
- 140 g lemon juice and zest
- 140 g granulated sugar
- 140 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 gelatin sheet 2 g of 200 blooms
Chocolate Mousse with Pâte à Bombe Base
- 220 g granulated sugar
- 55 g water
- 222 g eggs 3 yolks and 3 whole eggs, total weight 222 g. Only egg yolks may be used.
- 440 g dark chocolate with more than 55% cocoa
- 880 g heavy cream with 30% fat content
- 3 gelatin sheets normally not used, but the mousse holds better with them, while still remaining light and creamy.
Dark chocolate mirror glaze
- 112 g water
- 225 g glucose
- 225 g granulated sugar
- 225 g dark chocolate over 55% cocoa
- 150 g sweetened condensed milk
- 7 gelatin sheets 2 g each at 200 blooms. I also use those with 150 blooms and the result is the same. For more details, see the article on high-gloss chocolate mirror glaze.
PREPARATION
To make hazelnut dacquoise biscuit
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (374°F).
- Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar. Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually add the granulated sugar to stiffen the meringue. Continue whisking until you get firm peaks with a bird’s beak shape.
- Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients (almond flour and powdered sugar) into the meringue in batches, working from the bottom up with a spatula.
- Optionally, add some crushed hazelnuts. Transfer the mixture into a piping bag or a freezer bag, and pipe a round disc.
- Draw a 20 cm (8-inch) circle on a sheet of parchment paper, then flip it over onto a baking tray. Pipe the batter starting from the center and working outward in a regular spiral.
- Dust with powdered sugar using a fine sieve, twice, 3 minutes apart. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Keep an eye on it: the dacquoise should remain pale in color.
- Check doneness with a skewer, the dacquoise should stay soft. Trim the edges using a 8-inch ring (20 cm) , then let cool completely.
To make crunchy praline feuilletine
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, then add the praline paste. Mix well until smooth and fully combined.
- Remove from the heat and gently fold in the feuilletine.
- Spread the crunch layer evenly over the dacquoise, being careful not to go over the edges. Place in the refrigerator or freezer to set, this takes less than 30 minutes.
To make lemon Custard (crémeux) – Christophe Michalak’s version (optional)
- Prepare at least 2 hours before assembling the cake
- Soak the gelatin in a large bowl of cold water for about 10 minutes before starting the recipe.
- In a saucepan, combine the sugar and eggs, stirring gently without whisking.
- Add the lemon juice and zest. Stir with a spatula, then heat over medium heat.
- Cook the mixture, stirring constantly with the spatula to prevent foam from forming. Once it starts to thicken, you can switch to a whisk.
- Remove from the heat when the temperature reaches 83°C (181°F), or when the mixture coats the spatula.
- Off the heat, add the squeezed gelatin and stir to combine, then strain the mixture through a fine sieve.
- Cover with plastic wrap directly touching the surface and let cool to 40°C (104°F).
- Add the butter in small pieces, gradually, blending with an immersion blender to emulsify.
- Line a 20 cm (8-inch) ring with plastic wrap, pour the lemon crémeux in to a thickness of less than 1 cm (about ⅓ inch), and freeze until set.
To make chocolate mousse – pâte à bombe base
- Prepare once the lemon crémeux has set.
- Soak the gelatin in cold water about 10 minutes before starting.
- In a stand mixer, beat the 220 g of eggs until pale and frothy.
- In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Heat over medium heat and monitor the temperature with a thermometer. Cook the syrup until it reaches 118°C (244°F).
- Reduce the mixer speed, then slowly pour the hot syrup along the side of the bowl over the beaten eggs.
- Squeeze out the gelatin and add it to the warm mixture. Mix well to incorporate.
- Continue whisking until the pâte à bombe has completely cooled.
- Melt the chocolate over a bain-marie (double boiler) and keep it at 50°C (122°F).
- Whip the cream until soft peaks form, it should be light and not too firm. Add one-third of the whipped cream to the melted chocolate (still at 50°C) and stir to create an emulsion, like a ganache.
- Tip: Make sure the chocolate is at 50°C (122°F) when incorporating the first third of the whipped cream. This prevents the chocolate from seizing or becoming grainy.
- Fold the pâte à bombe into the chocolate mixture in two additions, alternating with the rest of the whipped cream. Gently mix using a spatula, working from the bottom up to maintain the airy texture.
- Use immediately. If you have any mousse left over, you can serve it in small glasses, just look at that beautiful airy texture!
To assemble the cake :
- This is an upright assembly, but you can also do it upside down, starting with the mousse and finishing with the biscuit.
- Seal the bottom of the 10-inch (25 cm) ring with plastic wrap, doubling the wrap around the outer edge to prevent the mousse from leaking. Stretch it tightly to ensure a smooth base. Place an acetate collar along the inside of the ring.
- Place the ring on a baking tray. Set the dacquoise with the praline crunch in the center, making sure it's evenly spaced on all sides.
- Spoon in a generous layer of chocolate mousse, filling nearly halfway up the ring.
- Add the lemon custard on top of the mousse and press it down slightly.
- Cover with the remaining chocolate mousse and smooth the surface with a spatula. Gently tap the tray on the counter to settle the mousse and remove any air bubbles.
- Freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight. You can also keep it frozen for up to a month.
To make chocolate mirror glaze :
- Prepare preferably the day before you want to finish the dessert.
- Soak the gelatin in cold water for 10 minutes before starting.
- In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and glucose, then bring to a boil at 103°C (217°F). Pour this mixture over the sweetened condensed milk.
- Add the squeezed gelatin and stir gently to avoid incorporating air.
- Pour everything over the dark chocolate in a tall, narrow container. Let it sit for a minute to allow the chocolate to melt, then gently mix.
- Blend with an immersion blender, holding the blender at an angle. Do not lift and lower the blender in and out of the container to avoid incorporating air, which would create bubbles.
- Pass through a fine-mesh sieve and transfer to an airtight container. Film directly on the surface and refrigerate until the next day.
- The next day, heat the glaze in a double boiler, ensuring the temperature does not exceed 38/40°C (100/104°F).
- Blend it again, strain, and use it at a temperature of 30/35°C (86/95°F). Personally, I use it at 33/34°C (91/93°F) for the best viscosity.
- Adjust the temperature depending on the glaze's texture. You can also opt for a cocoa mirror glaze, which is equally excellent.
How to glaze chocolate royal ?
- Remove the cake from the freezer and unmold it. Gently pass your hand or a sheet of paper towel over the entire surface to remove any possible frost marks.
- Place the entremets either on a rack above a tray or on a smaller, taller container to elevate it, allowing the glaze to drip off easily.
- Pour the glaze starting from the center in a continuous, circular motion to cover the entire dessert.
- If needed, gently pass a spatula once over the top to smooth it out.
- Once the glaze has stopped dripping, transfer the mousse cake to a serving plate and decorate as desired.
- Allow the dessert to defrost slowly in the refrigerator for 6 hours or more. After at least 2 hours in the fridge, you can speed up the process by leaving it at room temperature for about an hour.
- A gradual defrosting process prevents the entremets from weeping.
Chocolate spaghetti (Easter nest for decoration)
- Prepare before finishing the cake.
- Place a baking tray in the freezer for at least 6 hours before starting.
- Temper 250 g of dark chocolate: chop the chocolate into small pieces and melt it in a double boiler at 50°C (122°F). Remove from heat and stir frequently to lower the temperature to 26/27°C (79/81°F).
- Once the chocolate reaches this temperature, return it to the bain-marie to bring it back up to the working temperature, which is 31/32°C (88/90°F). Pour the chocolate into a ziplock bag and make a small hole in one corner.
- Use the bag to make back-and-forth movements from one corner of the frozen tray to the other to form spaghetti-like strands. Trim the edges to remove any thick pieces.
- Gather all the chocolate spaghetti and wrap them around a ring placed on a plate. You need to work fairly quickly.
- Use a cup to press the edges until the chocolate is well crystallized. If you want a thicker nest, you can layer one nest on top of another or use a larger tray to make more spaghetti.
- These chocolate spaghetti can be used to decorate the edges of the entremets, particularly at the base.
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