Chestnut Paste

[goldfish]

When my DD was studying in France, she came across chestnut paste, loved it and decided to try to replicate it here.  We went chestnut picking last weekend in the Blue Mountains, and this is what has transpired. . .

The ideas for the recipe were gleaned from an internet search some time ago, and now a search has failed to bring up the appropriate references.  If anyone recognises the recipe as their own, please accept our apologies . . . and our thanks!!

CHESTNUT PASTE

Approx 600 gm chestnuts
Enough water in which to boil the chestnuts first.

Then
200 gm water
100 gm sugar (used Rapadura - original notes said 200 gm but 100 gm was found to be sweet enough - depends on your taste!)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence


1.  Score the chestnuts in a + pattern, making sure you cut deeply enough through the shell

2.  DD boiled them in the TMX but you could do this on the stove top, too.
In the TMX put enough water to adequately cover the chestnuts and  cook 15 minutes/100C/reverse/soft

3.  Peel the chestnuts, DD found leaving the chestnuts in the hot water made the peeling easier (i.e. rather than tipping them out and letting them cool.)

4.  Bring the 200 gm of water, the sugar and the vanilla to the boil (about 2 minutes/100C/speed 3 or so)

5.  Add the peeled chestnuts and cook for another few minutes.

6.  Blend on speed 10 until smooth.

NOTES:
Try this paste on crepes; or as DD does, eat it straight from the spoon!

DD also wonders how different the taste would be if the chestnuts were roasted first rather than being boiled.  We'll see . . .

[judydawn]

I bought some chestnut puree or paste once GF, it was very expensive and I only ever used it for the 1 recipe so it was a complete waste of money.  Can't even remember the recipe but didn't know how long it would last in the fridge once opened.  Your recipe sounds so easy and you could make as much or as little as you needed.  Something different for our forum, thanks for that.

[cookie1]

I've never really had chestnuts much. A few years ago we bought some roasted chestnuts on the street in Melbourne. They were quite nice.

[kezza]

I've only ever bought it to make a Womens Weekly Chocolate Chestnut Torte cake from year's ago.  It's a great cake and I love the flavour.

[achookwoman]

GF,  this looks delicious. Roasted Chestnuts have a slight smokey flavour.  I buy sweetened and unsweetened in jars from the Italian shop.  you can buy peeled and dried chestnuts from the Italian grocer,  but I  don't like the taste.  They are used in soup.   GF I admire your daughter in her effort to peel the chestnuts as it is very difficult.  Good diet trick is to roast and peel and eat chestnuts.  It takes so long you give up. ,,,!!!