Torta de queso at Bombar: between Spain and Switzerland
At Bombardesserts are not a matter for the pastry chef, but for the cook. Victor Freiburghaus, associate chef, and Alexandre Jeny, executive chef, see the sweet menu as the logical continuation of a meal, in keeping with their cuisine: local, seasonal, full of taste. Here, no classic pastries, but textural combinations, ideas from elsewhere, and above all, a lot of gourmandise.
A pleasing note
Victor says it himself: “A dessert is not what satisfies, it’s the touch of pleasure, the sweetness that ends a meal on a happy note”. Although he initially thought this would be a weakness, having had no training as a pastry chef, he soon got the hang of it. Today, he imagines desserts the way he likes to enjoy them: simple, gourmet and always with his own personal touch.
It was in this spirit that his torta de queso, the new dessert on the menu, was born. The idea stems from a long-standing love of cheesecake. After several raw versions, Victor decided to turn to a baked recipe, inspired by Spanish tradition. “I’ve always been interested in the world of flan, especially that nicely toasted layer on top,” he confides. The dessert is therefore closer to the Basque cheesecake, already offered last year, but it’s now the northern Spanish version that he’s exploring. A rough, rustic, old-fashioned dessert that he reinvents in his own way by adding Gruyère cream. An unexpected but perfectly coherent Swiss touch that adds a milky depth.
Blackcurrant coulis
The cheesecake-red fruit combination is a natural choice to complete the dish. It’s a seasonal blackcurrant coulis, stewed for a long time, with a touch of sugar and pieces of fruit left whole to add a little chewiness. The tartness of the blackcurrant offsets the sweetness of the cake, which is distinguished by its lightness: almost like a mousse of fromage blanc, very airy and not very sweet. “Sugar, in this type of dessert, has no technical function. It’s just there for the taste. So it’s best to use as little as possible,” Victor points out.
The result is a dessert that’s gourmet without being nauseating. An airy cake, a thin golden crust, vanilla sweetness enhanced by a touch of acidity, all made with simple ingredients. After only a few days on the menu, the feedback is unanimous. At Le Bombar, when customers like a dish or dessert, it’s sometimes offered again. We bet the torta de queso will be no exception.
