Concorde cake: a delicate chocolate experience

If you love meringue and chocolate mousse, you’re going to adore Gaston Lenôtre’s Concorde. This classic French cake was created by Chef Gaston Lenôtre in the 1970s while he was overseeing catering for Air France. Named after the famous Concorde jet, it reflects both elegance and innovation.

PREPARATION TIME: 1 DAY

DIFFICULTY: MODERATE

Le Concorde by Gaston Lenôtre: Meringue and Chocolate

This gluten-free pastry features two or three chocolate meringue discs covered in chocolate mousse and stacked on top of each other. For decoration, small pieces of chocolate meringue cover the sides and top of the cake, resembling the nest of the Concorde bird. Just before serving, a dusting of powdered sugar can be added to make it a festive dessert.

The Concorde Recipe: Step by Step

The Concorde is an easy cake to make. You can prepare it in a day or make the meringue a few days in advance and then make the chocolate mousse and assemble the cake on the day you plan to serve it.

First, you’ll need to make a French meringue with unsweetened cocoa powder. Use this meringue to create two or three 18cm discs. With the remaining mixture, pipe meringue sticks which you’ll later cut to make chocolate fairy fingers that you will break for decorating the cake.

You can also use some other nozzles like the St Honore, to create a different style.

Next, all you need to do is make a dark chocolate mousse.

Assembling and decorating the Concorde is straightforward and doesn't present any particular challenges.

Preparation Time: 1 hour 

Baking Time: 4 hours 

Total Time: 1 day

Cost: Medium 

Cuisine: French 

Calories: 526 Kcal

Recipe (can make 2 cakes)

Meringue

240g Egg Whites

250g Sugar

200g Confectionary Sugar

75g Cocoa Powder

Dark Chocolate Mousse

375g Chocolate 70%

180g Butter

75g Egg Yolks

225g Egg Whites

100g Sugar

Directions

For the meringue, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gradually add the sugar. Sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder, and gently fold this mixture into the beaten egg whites. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and pipe 2 discs: a large and a small one, and small shells or large sticks (using a St. Honoré tip or a plain tip). Bake at 175°F (80°C) for 4 hours, then let it rest for an additional 2 hours.

For the mousse, melt the chocolate over a double boiler and add the butter, followed by the egg yolks. Mix thoroughly. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, gradually adding the sugar. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture.

To assemble, use a 28 cm ring mold and an acetate circle. Place the large meringue disc at the bottom, add a layer of chocolate mousse on top, then place the small meringue disc on top of the mousse and finish with another layer of mousse. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, unmold and decorate with the meringue shells. Alternatively, for a classic presentation, break the sticks and arrange them haphazardly to create a "nest" effect. Store in the refrigerator.