Dark Chocolate Terrine (Easy No-Bake Terrine au Chocolat)

Quick Summary: Chocolate terrine is a no-bake French flourless dessert made by folding melted dark chocolate, whipped cream, eggs, and gelatin, then freezing the mixture overnight. This version is shaped into half-spheres, served with caramel sauce, and yields 8 gluten-free portions.

What is chocolate terrine?

Chocolate terrine (terrine au chocolat or terrine de chocolat) is a French flourless chocolate dessert set into a loaf and sliced like a cake. It can be made with dark, milk, or white chocolate and needs no baking.

Dark chocolate terrine uses pure chocolate with no cocoa powder added, so quality chocolate is the key. It tastes like a flourless chocolate cake, lighter than fudge but richer than dark chocolate mousse.

The classic chocolate terrine is shaped as a loaf cake, but I had some fun shaping the dessert into half-spheres. I even tried a bunny silicone mold to make a festive Easter dessert.

Why you'll love this recipe

• No baking required, since the terrine sets in the freezer overnight.
• Naturally gluten-free and flourless, so it works for many diets.
• Rich, smooth chocolate texture that is lighter than fudge.
• Make-ahead friendly, so you can freeze it days in advance for stress-free entertaining.
• Easy to shape into half-spheres, a loaf, or fun holiday molds.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Dark chocolate: Use a high-quality 70% cocoa dark chocolate, like Scharffen Berger or Valrhona. Couverture dark chocolate is another great option.
• Granulated white sugar or caster sugar.
• Large eggs at room temperature.
• Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream with at least 30% fat content. Use double cream if you're in the UK.
• Gelatin sheets with a strength of 200 bloom.
• Meringues: Use store-bought meringues or make meringue cookies yourself. Follow the recipe for meringue mushrooms to make meringue kisses.
• Icing sugar: Make it from granulated sugar using a coffee grinder, or use powdered sugar.

Equipment

• silicone half-sphere mold (or a loaf pan)
• heatproof bowl for the bain-marie
• stand mixer or electric hand mixer
• rubber spatula
• small saucepan
• cling film

How to make chocolate terrine

Step 1. Melt the dark chocolate, cut into pieces, in a bain-marie (water bath), stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula, then let it cool slightly.

Step 2. Soak gelatin sheets in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes. Break the meringues into small pieces.

Step 3. Separate egg whites from the yolks. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks with granulated sugar until pale and thick.

Step 4. Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or an electric mixer until firm peaks form.

Step 5. Bring heavy cream to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the drained gelatin, and stir to dissolve.

Step 6. Pour this mixture over the melted chocolate and combine it with a rubber spatula. Add pieces of broken meringues and gently mix.

Step 7. Fold the egg yolk and sugar mixture into the cooled chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula.

Step 8. Carefully fold the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture (photo 6).

Step 9. Pour the mixture into a silicone half-sphere mold, smooth the top, cover with cling film, and freeze overnight.

Step 10. To make the caramel sauce the next day, heat the icing sugar and water in a saucepan over low-medium heat to make the caramel.

Step 11. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the soft unsalted butter in pieces and the hot heavy cream, and stir constantly (be careful not to splash!). Heat the mixture for a few seconds, then remove it from the heat.

To serve, turn the terrine out of the mold and let it thaw for 30 minutes in the fridge. Pour the caramel sauce over each dessert and serve immediately.

Expert tips

1. To eliminate concern about eating raw eggs, use pasteurized eggs. Consuming raw eggs is not advisable for pregnant women and babies.
2. To make the chocolate terrine cake-shaped, double the recipe. Pour the chocolate mixture into a terrine mold (or a nonstick loaf pan) lined with plastic film. Refrigerate the dessert overnight (do not freeze it). On the day of serving, remove the dessert from the mold/pan, cut it into thick slices, and serve it with caramel sauce.
3. Use a hot knife to get clean, thin slices.

Recipe variations

While dark chocolate terrine is the classic, you can give it a creative spin in a few ways.

• Milk or white chocolate terrine: swap the dark chocolate for milk or white chocolate.
• Chocolate terrine with speculoos: fold broken speculoos cookies into the mixture before filling the mold.
• Chocolate and prune terrine: add chopped prunes soaked in water or the alcohol of your choice for a few hours.
• Loaf shape: pour the mixture into a classic terrine mold or a loaf pan lined with cling film for a sliceable cake.
• Different sauces: serve with orange sauce, raspberry coulis, or crème anglaise instead of caramel.

Storing & freezing

Store the chocolate terrine in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days, and don't freeze it again once thawed. You can keep the still-frozen dessert in the freezer for up to two months; move it to the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.

FAQ

What is a terrine?
A terrine is a traditional French loaf, usually savory but sometimes a dessert, that is set or cooked in a special terrine mold.

What does chocolate terrine taste like?
It tastes like a rich flourless chocolate cake that is smooth and lighter than fudge, but deeper than a chocolate mousse.

Is chocolate terrine gluten-free?
Yes. Chocolate terrine is naturally flourless, so it is gluten-free as long as the meringues and chocolate you use are gluten-free.

Can you make chocolate terrine ahead of time?
Yes. It needs to freeze overnight and keeps in the freezer for up to two months, which makes it a great make-ahead dessert.

How do you serve chocolate terrine?
Serve it with caramel sauce, chocolate glaze, or raspberry coulis with fresh berries for a tangy contrast. Chef Thomas Keller suggests serving it with crème anglaise.

Love chocolate desserts? Try these next!

• Chocolate ganache cake
• Chocolate sponge cake
• Royal chocolate cake Trianon
• Nutella Swiss roll
• Fondant au Chocolat

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was adapted from the Gourmand magazine. It was originally published on April 02, 2019. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos.