of cold weather and comfort food -- craving chestnuts
Nothing says winter like hot chocolate and wool socks and roasted chestnuts. The first snowfall of the season doesn't hurt, either. With winter definitely on its way, I'm thinking about comfortable winter delicacies...and warm, buttery chestnuts.
Before I moved to NYC, I used to visit the lustrous city at least once each winter. Though my itenerary may have differed with each excursion, the one thing that remained common was the steaming bag of roasted chestnuts my mittened fingers craddled. Peeling and nibbling each fleshy nut, I was in rapsody. There was just something special about the vendors with their smoking carts filling the air with such a lovely, tender fragrance. However, it seemed that with each jaunt spent navigating those crowded streets, roasted chestnuts became harder and harder to find. And now, that colder weather beckons for their warm embrace, the hot, crumbly nuts are a rare and coveted commodity.
Before I moved to NYC, I used to visit the lustrous city at least once each winter. Though my itenerary may have differed with each excursion, the one thing that remained common was the steaming bag of roasted chestnuts my mittened fingers craddled. Peeling and nibbling each fleshy nut, I was in rapsody. There was just something special about the vendors with their smoking carts filling the air with such a lovely, tender fragrance. However, it seemed that with each jaunt spent navigating those crowded streets, roasted chestnuts became harder and harder to find. And now, that colder weather beckons for their warm embrace, the hot, crumbly nuts are a rare and coveted commodity.
Despite not finding any in their unadulterated but roasted form on the city streets, I have rediscovered chestnuts. Candied chestnuts, chestnut puree, chestnut cream...give me chestnuts in any form and I find myself swooning, defenseless to their charm. It's the subtle sweetness, the natural earthiness and the buttery richness just dissolving into your mouth that has me singing Nat King Cole's "Christmas Song." In whichever form they're eaten, it's always with a delicate sigh of warmth and comfort -- a perfect antidote to winter chills.
Chestnut Hot Chocolate
Subtly accentuated with citrus (and perhaps a few splashes of brandy) and topped with mounds of barely sweetened whipped cream, the combination of chocolate and and the nutty taste of chestnuts is truly lucious.
This dessert exudes warmth and comfort, and it's simplicity really lets the chestnuts shine.
I also turned about 3/4 of this cake into mini chestnut bread puddings for a dinner party...just prepare this custard base (omitting 1/3 cup of sugar and adding 1/2 cup of sweetened chestnut cream at the end), soak the cubes cake crumbs in the liquid for an hour and bake in mini muffin cups. Serve warm, drizzled with creamy butterscotch sauce...mmmm.
I also turned about 3/4 of this cake into mini chestnut bread puddings for a dinner party...just prepare this custard base (omitting 1/3 cup of sugar and adding 1/2 cup of sweetened chestnut cream at the end), soak the cubes cake crumbs in the liquid for an hour and bake in mini muffin cups. Serve warm, drizzled with creamy butterscotch sauce...mmmm.
See more of the Pastry Princess' dessert recipes!
gilded fork, dessert, recipe, pastry, princess, Monica Glass, chef
posted by the pastry princess @ 12:26 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
I am also in the mood for chestnuts! Gosh, I miss the street vendors of Paris! The hot chocolate picture is gorgeous and the cake recipe just makes my mouth water!!
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