
From our childhood neighbor Aunt Grace
The recipe was originally shared by a childhood neighbor in Fair Oaks, CA we affectionately called “Aunt Grace.” Aunt Grace did everything with grace and flair! We love keeping her recipe for this Christmas dessert alive. Chocolate Meringue Torte is a timeless classic. It's reminiscent of a chocolate Pavlova and it's simply a showstopper! If you love chocolate silk pie, chocolate tarts, chocolate meringue pie or flourless chocolate torte, this is the recipe for you! This dessert has just as much WOW factor now as it did back in the 1960’s.
How to make a meringue shell
For this holiday dessert recipe, a meringue shell forms the dessert's base and gives the torte graceful presentation. And the puddle of chocolate mousse filling and a whipped cream cloud sprinkled with chocolate curls is beautiful. For the meringue, you'll want to whip the egg whites with salt and vinegar until they are stiff, then gradually add sugar and cinnamon. You can spread the egg whites with the back of a spoon, or place them in a piping bag to create the meringue shell.
Beyond the beauty, the taste is amazing. The crisp sweet meringue has a touch of cinnamon. You paint a thin layer of melted milk chocolate over the baked meringue which hardens and creates a shell to keep the meringue crisp.
Whipping cream
Next a fluffy layer of whipped cream gently kissed by cinnamon, followed by more whipped cream folded into a silky layer of rich chocolate mousse. Let this mousse firm up in the fridge for an hour or so, then add the final layer of whipped cream. Spread the cream within an inch or two of the meringue edge so you can see a rim of chocolate.
How to make a chocolate curl garnish
To garnish, use a vegetable peeler and gently peel the sides of a giant Hershey bar. My hands are warm enough to keep the chocolate soft so it peels easily. If the bar is cold, try putting it in the microwave for 9 seconds. Then generously sprinkle chocolate shavings and chocolate curls over the cream. Voila! A masterpiece! Such a flavor and texture explosion! This is our favorite holiday dessert recipe. Chocolate meringue torte is a family tradition we hold dear. We hope you'll love it too. Enjoy! Dianna- French Hot Chocolate
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Chocolate Meringue Torte
A crisp meringue shell filled with layers of chocolate mousse and whipped cream, and garnished with chocolate curls.
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Servings: 12
Calories: 378kcal
Ingredients
For Meringue Shell
- 3 egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon white vinegar
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Brown paper bag
For Filling
- 6 ounces milk chocolate chips
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 egg yolks beaten
- 6 Tablespoons water
- 2 cups whipping cream
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
For Meringue shell
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. On a piece of parchment paper, draw a 9-inch circle; place paper on cookie sheet.
- Beat 3 egg whites with salt and vinegar until stiff. Gradually add sugar and cinnamon.
- Spread egg whites ¼ inch thick on paper circle. Smooth the surface. Mound remainder around edges.
- Bake for one hour. Don’t open oven door. Let dry in oven without opening door for several hours or overnight.
For Filling
- Whip the cream until thick. Add sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Divide in half.
- Melt milk chocolate in double boiler over low heat. Spread 3 Tablespoons melted milk chocolate on bottom of baked meringue shell.
- Add semi-sweet chocolate to the remaining milk chocolate in double boiler, stir until melted.
- Add egg yolks and water. If chocolate hardens, just keep mixing and it will smooth out. Set aside to cool and thicken. When cool, fold chocolate mixture into ½ of whipped cream.
- Spread ½ of remaining whipped cream over milk chocolate in shell (this is now ¼ of total whipped cream.) Spoon the layer of chocolate-egg yolk-whipped cream mixture into shell. Smooth.
- Top with remaining ¼ of whipped cream. Leave a 1-2 inch border of chocolate showing.Garnish with chocolate shavings and curls.Refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
Additional waiting time is needed for meringue to sit in closed oven several hours and for torte to set up in refrigerator.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 378kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 84mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g
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Try out these other delicious recipes for New Year's Eve! originally posted December 29, 2019
Elana Gomberg says
Hi there. In the 70's, I used to make Chocolate Torte Royale. This appears to be the same or a similar recipe. I plan to make this next week. I noticed that you have a brown paper bag in the meringue shell items. No where did I see the use of this. Please remind me what this paper bag is for. Thanks so much. Elana
In Fine Taste says
Hi Elana, my mother and grandmother always used to use a paper bag to put the meringue on to keep it from sticking to the pan. You can also use parchment paper instead!
- Alyssa
Kim Barker says
I remember having a slice on many Christmas…. Definitely an edible Christmas highlight!❤️