250 SOUTH 300 EAST
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84111
VERNE HANSSEN, OWNER
JEAN-JACQUES GROSSI, CHEF
Not many chefs, when asked the question of how they got into food and cooking, answer with, “I had no choice.” Jean-Jacques Grossi, chef at Gourmandise, fell into his career, but once you see the brilliant case of pastries at his bakery, you’ll know it was no coincidence.
Jean-Jacques grew up in France with five brothers and sisters. To help out the family, he started an apprenticeship with his uncle in the food business in Le Lavandou, in southern France. He learned everything from charcuterie to pastry in his stint up against the Mediterranean Sea.
Years later his father, along with some of his siblings, moved to Salt Lake City. The opportunity for French cuisine in Salt Lake was obvious to his family, so Jean-Jacques followed, and he and his father quickly found themselves making an impact on French cuisine in Utah.
He has now been at Goumandise as the head chef for thirteen years and couldn’t be more proud. The quality of the baked goods, along with the wide array of choices, showcases the hard work coming from his kitchen staff. “When people have a hard time choosing, you know you’re doing something right.”
The most popular desserts at Gourmandise are the napoleons, Almond Horn Cookies, Chantilly strawberry cake, Black Forest cake, and chocolate mousse cake. The bakery is also packed around lunchtime, as the downtown crowd visits for panini sandwiches and salads. Dinner and late night wine, beer, and dessert also prove their popularity; the parking lot at Gourmandise is never large enough for the crowds.
The secret to all this success—“consistency and dedication,” says Jean-Jacques. Pastry and baking require a high level of attention to consistency and detail. Now Jean-Jacques chooses to use his gift to fill the shelves of Gourmandise with perfectly made treats.
(YIELDS ABOUT 20 COOKIES)
1 cup granulated sugar
1¾ cups (14 ounces) almond paste
½ cup egg whites (3 large egg whites)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional, see Note)
2 tablespoons flour (optional, see Note)
Sliced almonds
In a mixer, blend together sugar and almond paste until well mixed. Slowly add egg whites until mixture takes on a fluffy consistency. Add the vanilla extract, then the heavy cream and flour. Mix for 5 minutes or until smooth and creamy, with all ingredients fully incorporated.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spoon dough or pipe from a pastry bag onto a parchment paper–lined cookie sheet (you may also use a greased cookie sheet or silpat). Sprinkle with sliced almonds.
Bake in preheated oven for 14–16 minutes or until just starting to brown around the edges. Do not allow cookies to brown.
Let cool completely before trying to remove cookies from parchment paper. If desired, cookies may be partially or fully dipped in chocolate.
Note: Omitting the heavy cream from this recipe makes it dairy free. Omitting the flour makes it gluten free. The gluten-free version is stiffer; dairy free is more fluffy; no flour or cream is more like meringue. For best results use both the cream and flour.
