Chestnut cream
As I continue to walk through the woods in search of these glossy brown gems, nestled in their prickly shells, I cannot help but have this sense of fulfillment and anticipation of the treats to come.
Here in northern Portugal, we are fortunate to have an abundance of chestnuts falling on our heads, especially in this beautiful season of October. The cooler air and golden hues mark the perfect time for gathering chestnuts, which are plentiful and of exceptional quality.
Cooked chestnuts are a highlight of this time of year, and after learning from my friend Linda how to best cook and peel them, we cannot stop collecting and preserving them! So good! Whether enjoyed straight from the pot, incorporated into a rich chestnut cream or used as a filling for delicious cakes, cooked chestnuts offer a taste of autumn’s bounty, while you never have to worry about not having an open fire and a chestnut pan!
Enjoy!
Chestnut cream
Equipment
- 1 (hand) blender
Ingredients
- ca. 50 medium to large chestnuts (in the peel) – alternatively ca. 250 g peeled and (slightly) cooked chestnuts
- 1/4-1/2 cup cane sugar or agave syrup
- ca. 3 cups plant milk
- cinnamon or vanilla (optional)
Instructions
- Check the chestnuts for worms (wormy examples tend to be hollow and show a tiny hole, mostly on the larger bottom side)If using already cooked and peeled chestnuts, skip this and the next three steps.
- Cut into the chestnut surface, creating a cross (see that you nicely cut from one very side to the other, the longer the cuts, the easier to peel). Don’t cut too deep, you will hear a slight cracking sound as soon as you cut through the harder (outer) and softer (inner) peel.
- Cook the chestnuts until the peels break open (5-10 minutes). Drain and let them cool down, but only shortly. The longer they damp out, the harder it is to peel them.
- Peel the chestnuts, removing the outer shell, as well as the inner (sometimes more to the nut sticking) peel (which is slightly tart).
- Sterilize the jars (glass and lid), by either placing them in boiling water, or in the oven preheated to 80-90℃.
- Place the peeled chestnuts in a pot. Cover just right with plant milk (it is important to really not use too much milk, fill the pot until you can still see a few chestnuts sticking out of the surface). If using vanilla as added flavor, you best add the slit bean now. Also the cinnamon can be added at this point.
- Cook the chestnuts in the milk until soft (approximately 15 minutes).
- Remove the vanilla bean. Add the sweetener – starting from little and increasing while you blend, this way adjusting to your preferred sweetness. Blend the chestnuts until creamy (I sometimes love to keep it slightly chunky).
- Fill the jars with the cream. Store in a cool place.