"The best chocolate cake in the world"
Do you think that's a bit pretentious? That's not me saying it, that's the name of a cake and of the small pastry shop that sells said cake in Lisbon. It's famous arround here but since I was living abroad for such a long time, I only tried it not long ago when I was lucky to meet 2 cool fellow bloggers. It was my first time meeting other bloggers AND eating "the best chocolate cake in the World". Too much emotion for one afternoon!

The cake was very good. The best in the world? Well, that's difficult to say because a) I have not tasted all the chocolate cakes in the world and b) This is not technically a cake, it's a
stack of meringue disks filled with chocolate mousse and covered in chocolate ganache. Of course the name was a smart marketing strategy, but still, the
cake is very good! I brought a piece for my mom who requested a clone for her birthday.
Her birthday was last week and this was my version:
THE BEST THING I HAVE EVER MADE (ACCORDING TO MY AUNT WHO IS ON A DIET)
Cocoa Meringue:
- 280 gr/ 10 oz (6-7) egg whites
- 500 gr/ 1lbs + 2 oz sugar
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
Whip the egg whites until soft peaks and add the sugar little by little, keep whipping the meringue until it's stiff and glossy. Sift the cocoa and add delicatelly to the meringue. Divide into 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and make disks with the help of a spatula. Bake for about 2 hours in a very low oven (110ºC/ 225º F). You can put all 3 baking sheets at the same time in the oven, making sure you rotate them twice so all 3 sheets are at the bottom, center and on the top shelf of the oven, so they bake evenly. Remove from the parchment paper and let cool completely on racks.
Chocolate Mousse:
- 200 gr/ 7.1 oz good dark chocolate
- 200 ml cream
- 200 ml whipped cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp salt
This mousse has to be prepared the day before you are going to use it. Break the chocolate into small pieces and take to the microwave for 1m. Boil the 200ml of cream and pour over chocolate. Let stand for 1-2 minutes and then mix them together, making a ganache. Mix in the vanilla and salt. Let it cool before adding the whipped cream. When adding the whipped cream, fold it gently into the ganache and take to the fridge to use the next day.
Toblerone Ganache:
- 1 small Toblerone (100 gr/3.5 oz)
- 100 gr/ 3.5 oz cream
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/8 tsp salt
Chopp the Toblerone into small pieces and take to the microwave for 1m. Boil the cream and pour over the Toblerone. Let stand for 1-2m and then mix until you have a shiny ganache cream. Cut the butter in tiny pieces and add together with the salt and mix until incorporated. If it's to thin to pour over the cake take to fridge for 20m or so. Or you can spread it instead pouring if you prefer, just leave it in the fridge until it's thick enough.
Topping/Decoration:
- Melted white chocolate
- Melted dar chocolate
- Finelly chopped Toblerone
Melt the chocolates and put them in zip lock bags, pastry bags or use a spoon to drizzle over the cake.
Assembly:
- On a serving plate put a meringue disk (it's a good idea to use a small dollop of ganache to glue it to the plate)
- Spread half of the mousse
- Top with the second disk of meringue
- Spread the other half of mousse
- Top with the last meringue disk
- Pour or spread the Toblerone ganache
- Decorate with the melted chocolates and chopped Toblerone

This meringue/mousse thing is not a new concept, there's a known cake named
Concord Cake that is like that, also Pierre Hermé has an
Autumn Meringue Cake that looks very much like the one from the pastry shop. In fact people say that the owner of "
The best chocolate cake in the World" started making the
cake after eating a similar one in Paris.
For my version I used my go-to recipes for meringue (just added cocoa) and rich egg-less chocolate mousse. I made my meringues much thicker for more crunch, and I've used Toblerone to make my ganache instead of regular chocolate because that's my mom's favourite. And also drizzled some more chocolate and sprinkled chopped Toblerone to make it more festive, it was for a birthday after all!
My mom said that mine was even better than the one from the pastry shop, but she's my mom, so of course she was going to say that. My aunt said that this was the best thing I have ever made (from the ones she tasted), but she's on a diet so I think anything she eats outside her diet must taste like it's the best in the world!
But really, it was quite good: crunchy and creamy and rich and chocolatey!... How could it not be good?
I'm sending this cake to Not Quite Nigella, for her fun event: The Ultimate Chocolate Cake Challenge!
102 comments:
This looks delicious to me!
HEAVENLY!!!! Glad the family loved it :0)
Wow! Chocolate sounds soooo good right now! This cake looks like a chocoholic's dream!
Wowee! Since yours has Toblerone, I would prefer that one. That is the best stuff!
wow what a fantastic cake.I think I have tasted this before,it was awesome.Meringue with mouse is delectable.
It looks wonderful! I think yours is the best cake in the world! Love the Toblerone, yummy!
I'd eat it. :) Course, I'd eat almost anything with chocolate mousse. The thought of Toblerone ganache has me drooling.
WOW, that is INSANE looking from the pics! I do love meringue - but add in the mousse and ganache and HELLO, come to Mama!
Aren't moms the best? That certainly does look like a whole lotta chocolatey goodness!
Looks wonderful! Nah, I don't think your aunt or mom are biased. Though I haven't tasted anything you've made I have seen them and let me just say that my local bakery should be ashamed!
Happy belated Birthday, Mom!
~ingrid
Um, wow... I don't feel qualified to say 'best in the world' (although I'd LOVE to sign up for that job!!), but it sure does look AMAZING. I haven't broken my diet since I started - HOWEVER, if this was in front of me, I'd be all over it :) WOW!
Oh delish!!!
AMAZING! what a great idea! I cant wait to try it.
Oooh, that does look really delicious! I'm sure it tastes wonderful!
O.M.G.
That's a *must try*
Sounds too yummy for more words.
Holy goodness! This looks DE...Vine! I am speechless! You really did it this time. How do you go to this from chocolate chip cookies. Haha
Wow! it sure looks amazing from here! So much chocolate...you can't go wrong!
"The best" of anything is always a big call, isn't it? I never have a best-of, chocolate cake, because my favourites change all the time! This one looks like a giant layered chocolate macaron - which can't possibly be a bad thing! :D
OOoohhh yours sounds and looks sooo tasty I am sure it would be one of the best in the world ^^! But I think you will need to send me some just so I can compare ;)
I love compliments from the family so I bet the ones from Mom and your aunt made you feel wonderful. This looks divine!
Especially love that you used Toblerone for the ganache top layer, yum!
Mmmm. Lo del toblerone suena genial, aunque lo del merengue ya no me hace mucha ilusión (alguna manía tenía que tener).
I don't think you need to be on a diet to know that is some good eats.
UAU!!! Isso é o que eu chamo uma tarde bem passada. Conversa boa sobre comida com colegas blogueiras e ainda por cima bolo de chocolate famoso.
Ainda não tive a sorte de provar o bolo, mas uma coisa é certa: será dificil resistir à tentação desta receita.
Bj
It looks amazing! I haven't tried that so called best chocolate cake yet, but I'd say yours looks so yummy it HAS to be better!! Your mom is very lucky!
**
mariana
Bem eu adoro o melhor bolo de chocolate do mundo...adoro...e gosto de ambas as versões negro e de leite...mas olha que o teu...será que descobriste o segredo...OMG!!!
Wait a minute, so the cake wasn't actually a cake? Well, would ya look at that? Crazy European marketing :)
Well, I guess to continue my European transformation, I'm going to need some of that... and maybe that green wine :)
Well, I know I'd like to taste the best cake in the world!! From just the looks of it, I think it could be right!!
Looks great! Maybe my husband would like that kind of "cake". He really hates cake and frosting. So does the merinque stay crunchy? How do you slice something like that? Does the mousse ooze out? Just wondering.
You go, Girl--making it better than the original!
This looks amazing...I am sure it tastes awesome :-)
Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow. Looks Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmy.
I was reading the beginning of your post and thought, "I have a similar recipe in one of my books and it's called a Concord Cake", but I kept reading and you beat me to it. :-D My recipe isn't covered with TOBLERONE GANACHE! Wowee yum. I love that idea.
mmm. looks utterly delicious. i love the chocolate merengues and the chocolate ganache!
That looks awesome! I made something similar for my birthday cake a couple years ago, but mine lacked the Toblerone ganache, which makes it infinitely better!
This looks fantastic! Toblerone is my favorite!
Of course everyone would love this! It looks amazing!
Yum, looks so good!
Toblerone ganache. My knees are weak.
What a different "cake"!! I think I'd be a huge fan of this, and I'm not even on a diet!
Oh, this looks fabulous! If it's not the best in the world, I bet it's in the top three. I can't wait to give this a try!
I love what your aunt said...that is too funny and so something my aunt would say!
Your cake cake looks better than 'the best chocolate cake in the world'- which makes it what? Better than best is supercalifragilistic!
Temos de repetir! ;)
What a great idea for a cake. I think your Aunt may be right!
yo no se si será el mejor del mundo pero que tiene una pinta estupenda, eso te lo aseguro y además me la pongo en pendientes porque ya me la están pidiendo!!!
Ana
Oh wow, that is one awesome looking cake! Not a thing wrong with it! :)
I need to finally use Toberlone in my cookings. God woman this looks good!
Wow...that's all I'm going to say - is WOW!
-DTW
www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com
That is quite the masterpiece, I applaud you for taking it on! This is a dream cake really.
It looks like chocolate pancakes! Yum!
Wow I bet that cake was so fresh and wonderful. We have a pastry shop here that makes this type of cake and it is good but never as fresh as I would like. Great clonning you did!
Meringue (or dacquoise) cakes are delicious! Yours looks absolutely fabulous.
Your cake looks beautiful, I have a huge weakness for meringue!
Yum! That looks crazy-good!
Rita querida, além de ser muuuito talentosa e caprichosa, você só apresenta coisas lindas e deliciosas.. menina, fico babando a cada post teu... e aqui não foi diferente... ameiiii!!
Beijo grande... :)
Uma tarde bem passada com pessoal divertido que partilha das mesma paixão por culinária...adoro e gosto sempre de repetir! ;-)
Quanto ao bolo...não sei porquê mas o teu parece-me mais apetitoso...serão as tuas mãos de cientista especializada em clonagem ou será por causa do toblerone?
bjs
Oh wow! That looks so good. I love Toblerone bars, too!
That does look so tempting :-)
looks so yummy!!I love chocolate!!I must try this some day!!!!=0)
Ok, I love Toblerone and would love that in a cake! yum! It looks delicious!
This looks like it would be a lot of fun to make. And Toblerone? Oh My! My husband puts one in my Christmas stocking every year. What a beautiful cake. Does it stay crunchy?
This sounds like chocolate heaven...each component sounds better than the next!
My...My,I belive you! This is I think one of the best chocolate cake in the world! Pierre Hermes better watch out, cause Rita is coming ;)
Yummy! Merengue and mousse - can't go wrong with them! Looks really good!
Ivy- Quite the upgrade, isn't it?!
Y- Haven't though about that, but it does look like a gigantic macarron!
Marizé- Tens de ir provar!!!
Katrina- It cuts nicely with a serrated knife and the mousse doesn't ooze much cause it's thick.
Suzana- Temos, temos!
Pipoka- É capaz de ser o Toblerone!
Kellypea- It does stay cruchy, but ideally you would eat it in the same day you assemble it.
Zita- Lol!!!
WOW. That does look like the best cake in the world, and now I have to make it to see for myself!
That chocolate cake does look good! I like the patterns on the top.
Is it wrong to be so in love with a cake that it reduces you to tears?
Thanks for the recipe. Looks like a must-try.
This is such a fun "cake" :)! I like the meringue layers and chocolatey goodness. I used to gobble up Toblerone like crazy in college!
It's like a gigantic macaron.. I don't have to be on a diet to like this :)
My son would go crazy over this! He loves cocoa meringues.
With cocoa in every layer its undoubtedly the best chocolate cake:)
A surprise for you in my blog:)
What a cool cake. Very elegant. The Toblerone ganache sounds interesting and delicious. lovely!
If its not it sure looks fantastic!
that's so cool that the actual cake is meringue. i've never made a meringue cake before (even when i wasn't vegan). it does look beautiful and you have ever right to say it's the best chocolate cake in the world. i feel the same way about my muffins!!! hehe
Suprise Weekend Bonanza waiting for you.
Uauhh!!...nunca tinha ouvido falar neste bolo, mas agora vais ter que me dizer onde fica essa loja para eu poder ir lá fazer a minha prova! (É que no Natal vou a Lisboa ver os meus avós e assim aproveitava para um passeio gastronómico!eheheh:))
A tua mami deve ter ficado super orgulhosa e emocionada com o bolo feito especialmente para ela e com toblerone! (eu também adoro toblerone!!!)
Aposto que o teu estava bem melhor do que o da dita loja mas, infelizmente essa prova não vou poder fazer... mesmo assim acredito piamente que o sabor era mil vezes superior!!!
Oh good lord. Please save some for me!
Clumbsy this cake look reall fantastic!! and delicious, maybe is one of the best in the world!!!mmmmmm and with toblerone!!! Delicious, maybe is the best in the world!!!!! look yummy!!
Clumbsy, este Lunes creo que te mandarè el paquete te confirmo por que via, le tengo encargado a mi marido que lo envìe, ojalà te llegue pronto. Muchos cariños, El cake de veras es fantàstico y las fotos preciosas. Gloria
I choose you Pikachuuu!!
http://herecomesthefood.blogspot.com/2008/11/sushi-choo-sydney-cbd-sydney-taggage.html
Beautiful!!! And Toblerone ganache sounds divine...
That does look great!
This cake is gorgeous!
That looks amazing Rita and yes I could believe that it was the best cake in the world! :D
I have a very similar recipe to the meringue cake - and yours turned out beautifully! WOW!
You know what? You may be right about this cake. Wow!
toblerone ganache?! holy chocolately goodness! wow, you did a great job cloning that! maybe i should make this w/all the egg whites in my freezer :)
love the new look of your blog by the way, sorry i've been absent but life got the better of me
toblerone ganache? ay dios mio, me apunto ya!
sugar, eggs and cocoa. yeah that sounds about right!!!
so creative of you... yum... :)
Bem, ja me estou a babar... Nao vejo a hora de provar este "bolo". Se fizeres este bolo quando ca vieres, nao te esquecas de guardar um pedacinho pra mim, lol!
questa torta è troppo bella!!!!!! immagino la bontà!
ciao
vale
I wish it was my b-day too :D. crunchy and moussey sounds right up my alley and don't get me start on Toblerone...yum-o!
I bet the textures are wonderful, I'd love to give this a try. It looks so light and fresh too.
Oh my!!! That looks absolutely wonderful!!!!
Ohhh.. i believe your aunt because i once made something similar, a recipe by Pierre Herme with also meringue disks, choco ganache and covered with a chocolate glaze, and MY aunt said it was the best thing she's ever eaten. Maybe your aunt and my aunt should hang out. :-)
Totally Fantabulous....
Bookmarked this recipe since you've published it... will try it soon.
Have been reading your blog for a bit and also had you on 'My Blog List'. Love your blog's mast head.
Check out Zebra Cake for the Rajpals
Lunch at Deeba's
Cups of Magic ~ Vanilla Cupcakes @ Deeba's
Hi Honey!
What a beautiful recipe, thank you for sharing!
I love it so much I've included it the "Top 21 Chocolate Cake recipe posts on twitter"
Keep up the good work!
Love,
Bridge
Thanks Bridget, that's so nice! ;)
Hi, Clumbsy, you made an error converting sugar in Cocoa Meringue-
500 grams sugar it's aliitl' bit more than 1 pound not 2 pounds as you wrote. Hope it will help other people. By the way, you can use just 2 cups of sugar there
Thanks so much for bringing that to my attencion, I'll correct it right now :)
Hi tthere - I'm planning on making this - could you please convert the ganache cream quantity from grams to mls. Thanks Veronique
Hi Véronique, when using cream you can use the same amount for grams as ml :)So it's 100ml of cream. Good luck!
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