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Succès praliné (praline meringue)
The "succès" (success) is a classic of traditional French patisserie, made with two layers of almond meringue filled with praline butter cream. It's very rich and a little old-fashioned these days, but still has many faithful fans.
The original recipe comes from the master chef Gaston Lenôtre, and became one of his most famous cakes, but this version is a little easier to make.
The original recipe comes from the master chef Gaston Lenôtre, and became one of his most famous cakes, but this version is a little easier to make.
Last modified on: September 10th 2026
For 1 succès (meringue), you will need:
- 1
3 egg whites - 2
150 g icing sugar - 3
60 g ground almonds - 4 a little Icing sugar
- 5
200 g butter cream - 6
50 g praline - Total weight: 550 grams
Times for this recipe
Preparation
2 hours 20 min.
Resting
1 hour 20 min.
Cooking
40 min.
All in all
4 hours 20 min.
When should you start or finish this recipe?
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - ⌛ 20 min.
Prepare an almond meringue by beating 3 egg whites to stiff peak stage, then add 150 g icing sugar at the end.
When the meringue is mixed, sprinkle 60 g ground almonds over and incorporate by tilting the bowl on its side and folding in gently with a maryse, so as not to lose the volume of the meringue.
Your almond meringue is ready.
When the meringue is mixed, sprinkle 60 g ground almonds over and incorporate by tilting the bowl on its side and folding in gently with a maryse, so as not to lose the volume of the meringue.
Your almond meringue is ready.
Stage 2 - ⌛ 5 min.
Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F).
Place a large sheet of cooking parchment on your worktop and draw a circle about 20 cm or 8" in diameter on the rougher side of the paper, the smooth side being for the meringue.
Use compasses or draw round an upturned plate or large metal ring.
Place a large sheet of cooking parchment on your worktop and draw a circle about 20 cm or 8" in diameter on the rougher side of the paper, the smooth side being for the meringue.
Use compasses or draw round an upturned plate or large metal ring.
Stage 3 - ⌛ 5 min.
Stage 4 - ⌛ 10 min.
Take a forcing bag and a large nozzle (diameter 16), and fill with almond meringue.
Then pipe a spiral without going beyond the edge of the circle you have drawn, starting at the outside and working towards the centre.
It's important to keep the meringue light and not crush it, ideally the spiral should be at least as thick as the diameter of the nozzle.
Make two identical circles.
Then pipe a spiral without going beyond the edge of the circle you have drawn, starting at the outside and working towards the centre.
It's important to keep the meringue light and not crush it, ideally the spiral should be at least as thick as the diameter of the nozzle.
Make two identical circles.
Stage 5 - ⌛ 5 min.
If you have some meringue left over, make shapes like finger biscuits, which are good for accompanying desserts like fresh mint ice cream or fruit salad for example.
Stage 6 - ⌛ 2 min.
Sprinkle the circles with a little a little Icing sugar.
Stage 7 - ⌛ 40 min.
Put in the oven without delay, one above the other, for about 30-40 minutes. After 20 minutes swap the sheets over and turn them round to ensure even cooking.
Stage 8 - ⌛ 20 min.
Watch the cooking carefully, and remove the meringues from the oven as soon as they are nicely coloured.
It's quite possible that, depending on your oven, you'll need to take one meringue out 10 minutes before the other, which hasn't coloured as quickly.
Handle carefully: take off the paper sheets and put to cook on a rack. Your "succès" bases are ready.
It's quite possible that, depending on your oven, you'll need to take one meringue out 10 minutes before the other, which hasn't coloured as quickly.
Handle carefully: take off the paper sheets and put to cook on a rack. Your "succès" bases are ready.
Stage 9 - ⌛ 60 min.
Prepare 200 g butter cream and fold in 50 g praline.
Note: If you have prepared the butter cream in advance, remove from the fridge 1 hour before using, so that it has time to soften.
Note: If you have prepared the butter cream in advance, remove from the fridge 1 hour before using, so that it has time to soften.
Stage 10 - ⌛ 5 min.
Place a meringue base on a chopping board, if you have a metal dessert ring, put this over the base and press down hard to even up the shape.
If you don't have a ring, just place a plate on top...
If you don't have a ring, just place a plate on top...
Stage 11 - ⌛ 5 min.
... and cut round with a knife to trim off the excess...
Stage 12 - ⌛ 10 min.
... until you have a perfect circle.
Do this for both bases.
Share the offcuts around any folks hovering in the kitchen - sure to bring you "succès"!
Do this for both bases.
Share the offcuts around any folks hovering in the kitchen - sure to bring you "succès"!
Stage 13 - ⌛ 3 min.
Assembling the cake:
Place the less good of the bases on the serving plate (if possible, put a paper doily on the plate first to make it prettier).
If you have a dessert ring it will be much easier.
Place the less good of the bases on the serving plate (if possible, put a paper doily on the plate first to make it prettier).
If you have a dessert ring it will be much easier.
Stage 14 - ⌛ 7 min.
Cover this base with an even layer of praline butter cream.
Stage 15 - ⌛ 1 hour
And place the second circle of meringue on top.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Stage 16 - ⌛ 1 min.
Shortly before serving, dust the top with a little iciing sugar and remove the ring.
Remarks
You can make this cake the day before and keep it in the fridge without it suffering.
The praline butter cream can be replaced by another filling, but the name "succès praliné" will no will no longer be appropriate.
The praline butter cream can be replaced by another filling, but the name "succès praliné" will no will no longer be appropriate.
Keeping: 1 or 2 days in the fridge, folded in a plastic film.
Source: After Gaston Lenôtre.
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Nutritional information
| Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats | Calories | Energy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per 100 g | 16 g RDI=26 % | 146 g RDI=55 % | 87 g RDI=119 % | 373 kcal RDI=19 % | 1,562 kJ RDI=19 % |
| Whole recipe | 92 g RDI=143 % | 807 g RDI=305 % | 478 g RDI=655 % | 2,051 kcal RDI=103 % | 8,590 kJ RDI=103 % |
How much will it cost?
For 1 succès (meringue)
2.90 €
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Butter cream
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example:
Icing sugar
Like these other recipes:
Ground almonds
Like these other recipes:
Praline
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example:
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