Chestnut Cake (Gâteau aux châtaignes)
A chestnut cake made with chestnut purée, featuring a delicate texture and commonly served as a Christmas or winter dessert.
Ingredients
Whole chestnuts (pre-cooked or canned)
500 g
Milk
500 ml
Vanilla pod (split)
1
Butter (softened, for beating)
200 g
Caster sugar
200 g
Eggs (yolks and whites separated)
5
Chestnut spread (canned or homemade sweet chestnut purée)
200 g
Instructions
1
Prepare the chestnuts
If using raw chestnuts, pre-cook them first; if canned, open and drain. Place the chestnuts in the milk with the split vanilla pod and bring to a boil (covered), cooking until very tender. Drain off the milk and mash the chestnuts into a smooth purée.
2
Make the butter and yolk batter
Make sure the butter is not too cold. Use a fork to beat 200 g of butter until smooth (with a texture similar to mashed potato). Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Mix the yolks with the sugar and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the chestnut purée and continue beating until evenly combined.
3
Fold in the egg whites
Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold the meringue into the chestnut and yolk batter in batches—first stir in a portion to loosen the mixture, then gently fold in the rest with light, careful movements.
4
Bake
Preheat the oven to 185°C (gas mark 6). Fill buttered and flour-dusted molds with the batter. Tap the molds on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles, then bake for 30 minutes. Let the cakes cool slightly before unmolding.
5
Decorate and finish
Whip the heavy cream until stiff. Slice each cake horizontally and sandwich with a layer of whipped cream. Smooth the surface, then sprinkle with pearl sugar to decorate. Chill before serving.
