ChefTalk.com › ChefTalk Cooking Forums › Cooking Discussions › Pastries & Baking › Anybody have a name or recipe for this?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Anybody have a name or recipe for this?

post #1 of 16
8/6/07 at 7:27pm
Thread Starter 
With the help of my wife & sister-in-law, here is my best description of a desert we used to get for parties from a place called “The Hobson House” in Long Grove, Illinois. Unfortunately the place closed quite a few years ago & I have been without my favorite desert ever since. :(

It had 3 layers (approx. ¾”-1” thick each) of cake that had a texture sort of similar to the outer part of an éclair (not real sweet or like a cake mix) possibly baked in a buttered pan with granulated sugar creating a bit of a crunchy/crispy exterior.

We think the filling was custard, rasberries, sliced sugared almonds, & pastry crème.

I’m told that The Hobson House called this a Torte. When I google “Torte” the descriptions I get doesn’t really describe the stuff I’m looking for.

Anybody have any info that would help me be able to eat this again?
Reply

Featured Stories on ChefTalk.com

A clinical look at how a restaurant runs
When Cooks Cook for Themselves
Follow ChefTalk on Pinterest!
post #2 of 16
8/7/07 at 5:46am
Jstin,
I believe you would achieve the torte you're looking for by using puff pastry circles, basic vanilla custard and the garnish of your choice.
Puff pastry is available in most markets now. It must be baked at a high temp (400-450) brushed with water and sprinkled with sugar. The sugars will melt and sort of caramelize keeping the circle from getting soggy when put together. I believe your description is spot on for this and the butter content in the dough would give the appearance of a buttered pan.
hth
Reply
post #3 of 16
8/7/07 at 9:47am
jstin
you could also brush the pastry circles with a light coating of white choc when stone cold to also prevent the pastry from becomming soggy when assembling. hpoe this also helps you.
Reply
post #4 of 16
8/7/07 at 1:35pm
Gee, I haven't been to Long Grove for a long time! There are some fine chocolates to be found there....

To me your recipe sounds more like it's made from choux pastry, the pastry that's used in eclairs, cream puffs, etc. Choux (pronounced "shoo") is very, very easy to make. You can pipe it into any shape you like using a pastry bag (or plastic bag with a piping tip stuck through one corner).

Here's a recipe that uses choux pastry: Profiteroles Recipe: Recipes: Food Network

You can use choux for many wonderful things, both savory and sweet.
Moderator Emerita, Welcome Forum
***It is better to ask forgiveness than beg permission.***
Reply
post #5 of 16
8/7/07 at 3:14pm
Mezzaluna,
After reading the post once more, I think your insight might be more correct. or;) we may both be right. It maybe something like the bottom of a St. Honore. A puff circle, then pipe choux paste on top and bake. You poke holes in the choux and fill with custard.:lol:
OR, now that I think about it a little more. It could be the popular German dessert, Bienenstich sp? BeeSting. That is sort of a Brioche dough baked with a crunchy sugary almond top. It is then cut in half and filled with custard. Yea, that's the ticket:eek:
baddaboom
Reply
post #6 of 16
8/7/07 at 3:25pm
Gotta be a version of Gateau St. Honore. One of my favorite desserts. :)
Reply
post #7 of 16
8/7/07 at 3:43pm
Either that or, what popped into my head because I had an "oh, a big eclaire" experience with one -- a Boston cream pie-cake.

Mmm St. Honoré.
Reply
post #8 of 16
8/7/07 at 6:45pm
Thread Starter 

A little clarification maybe....?

Just to be sure, what I referred to as "filling" is actually spread between the layers of "cake" in place where icing would be with a common layer cake. As you can probably tell I'm not much of a chef.

Yes, Long Grove does have good chocolate.

No, it's not Bienenstich, although that's the closest that I've had. My sister-in-law mentioned above married German & has brought Bienenstich to parties just to tease me..:) I wonder if I can use what ever the cake layers are made of to begin my testing?

I do appreciate all of your replies folks.
Reply
post #9 of 16
8/7/07 at 8:12pm
did It look like this ?


OR this?
Reply
post #10 of 16
8/8/07 at 2:56pm
was it a napoleon? some are just powdered sugar on the top..

Reply
post #11 of 16
8/8/07 at 6:22pm
Thread Starter 
ChefRAZ, the bottom pic looks pretty close. The cake layers were thicker though. The entire torte was probably 4" tall after the whipped cream was applied just before serving. I think I neglected to say that before.

jessiquina, I don't think it was a napoleon, looks good though.

Thank you.
Reply
post #12 of 16
11/20/08 at 2:09pm

recipe

This extraordinary cake was called a raspberry torte. We sold hundreds throughout the many years. And if I can get up to my attic sometime, I'll polk around for that box with all the recipes. No promises...
Reply
post #13 of 16
1/11/13 at 2:00pm

I use to get the same thing from their for my birthday every year.  It was the best!  I hope you find it!  My favorite ever!!!

Reply
post #14 of 16
1/27/13 at 3:27pm

It was the BEST cake in the world!  There must be somebody who got the recipe-  -???--Please let  me know if ;you ever found it.

Reply
post #15 of 16
1/27/13 at 3:39pm

Did you ever find the recipe for the Raspberry WhippedCream and Custard Torte from Hobson House in Long Grove? ---- It was to die for and must be found!  Did it have a meringue layer along with fresh raspberries , custard and yellow sponge?

Reply
post #16 of 16
5/20/13 at 11:32am

You are looking for a Blitz torte.  I have been hunting down the same cake/chef for years.  I have an idea of how to make it.  there are Blitz torte recipes, just not the exact one at Hobson.
 

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Pastries & Baking

Featured Stories on ChefTalk.com

A clinical look at how a restaurant runs
When Cooks Cook for Themselves
Follow ChefTalk on Pinterest!
ChefTalk.com › ChefTalk Cooking Forums › Cooking Discussions › Pastries & Baking › Anybody have a name or recipe for this?