Chez Michel's Unforgettable Chocolate Torte

[LRicardo]

When I was a child in the seventies, I remember being taken to Chez Michel on occasion. I loved their food, but more than anything, I have never been able to forget their chocolate torte! It was light and chocolate-y and have been craving it for years. I am looking for a recipe but do not remember exactly what the dessert was called. Was it a torte? Maybe a Bavarian Torte? Does anyone know what I am talking about and the name of the dessert so that I can look for a recipe? Was there ever a Chez Michel cookbook?

[jackieinpaso]

Ah, I remember it well--the billowing tented ceiling, Michel Elkaim dripping with charm and yes, the chocolate cake. I think they called it Chocolate Truffle Cake. I never went to SF without a visit to Chez Michel (last time in 1981) and always had that cake.

[Robert Lauriston]

Their chocolate truffle cake was dense, like a Gâteau Victoire.

[jackieinpaso]

I'm sure that's the cake I remember but hey, it was 30 years ago. Just did some searching and saw that sadly, Michel Elkaim died in December. Perhaps the secret went with him...

[Robert Lauriston]

They were known for their chocolate truffle cake, but what's described in the opening post sounds like something else.

Elkaim was the owner. Roberto Gerometta was the chef.

[LRicardo]

Anyone?
lol
Maybe I should rename this thread...

[Robert Lauriston]

Chez Michel was one of the restaurants in The Great Chefs of San Francisco cookbook. I'll take a look and see what dessert(s) it includes.

[LRicardo]

Thank you, Robert. I've since moved overseas and do not have easy access to U.S. cookbooks.

[wolfe]

I'm afraid the Chez Michel contribution was not what you wanted.
(Hazelnut biscuit topped with buttercream and chocolate mousse.) Source: Great Chefs of San Francisco, Avon Books, 1984 Chef: Roberto Gerometta, Chez Michel, San Francisco, CA

[LRicardo]

Very kind of you to look it up for me. Thanks!

Wondering if anyone remembers what I'm talking about...

[wolfe]

Here's the biscuit now all you need is a Grand Marnier souffle recipe.
"Progres with Grand Marnier I (Biscuit)"
------------------------------BISCUIT NOISETTE------------------------------ 6 lg Egg whites

1 pn Salt

1 oz Juice, lemon

1 oz Sugar

1 oz Flour

5 oz Hazelnuts, finely ground

5 oz Sugar

Biscuit Noisette: ================= Put the egg whites into a blender with salt and lemon juice. Add 1 ounce of sugar to the egg whites while blending.

In a separate bowl, blend the flour, 5 ounces of sugar and ground hazelnuts. Add beaten egg whites to bowl with hazelnut/sugar mixture and fold in with a spatula. Butter the bottom of a baking sheet, cover with buttered parchment paper. Pour biscuit dough on parchment and place in 475 F over for 5 minutes, rotating pan often. When cooked, cool in the refrigerator. Set aside for use in the rest of the Progres with Grand Marnier recipe. Source: Great Chefs of San Francisco, Avon Books, 1984 Chef: Roberto Gerometta, Chez Michel, San Francisco, CA
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1613,...

[LRicardo]

oooh, thank you!

[Robert Lauriston]

You can get the whole thing on one page if that's what you're looking for:

http://www.pagespak.com/vr-recipe-135...

[Robert Lauriston]

The recipe in the book is Progrès with Grand Marnier, which is a hazelnut torte, soaked with Grand Marnier syrup, filled with a chocolate-Grand Marnier mousse, and topped with chocolate cream. Unfortunately there's no photo. Does that sound anything like what you remember?

If not, you could write to Gerometta and ask. http://www.acf-usa.org/chef-roberto-g...

[LRicardo]

Not quite what I remember. What I'm remembering is a torte with no nuts and a chocolate mousse without or with very little liqueur. Possibly topped with chocolate cream, maybe not. Wow, thank you for the link, I appreciate it.