Holiday time is all about sugar, spice, and everything nice. It conjures up all sorts of cozy images and makes me crave many kinds of foods, like chestnuts. It's one of my favorite things and this is the time of year when fresh chestnuts pop up at the grocery stores. I love eating good fresh chestnuts, and I also adore chestnut flavored desserts. My love of chestnut desserts has been pretty well documented here but I'm always on the lookout for more.
So I'm back with yet another chestnut dessert, a little treat I shared with my husband recently. It was a very simple chestnut fondant - the French style of cake that is nearly flourless, usually quite rich and moist. The recipe comes from Paris Chez Sharon; I have seen her post the chestnut fondants from the Parisian market, Marché Maubert, on her Instagram account and drooled over them for a long time so I was thrilled when she shared her recipe for it over at her blog.
And chestnut cream (or chestnut spread) is again our direct path to a simple chestnut dessert. Think of this mini fondant loaf cake as mostly chestnut cream, enhanced with a smidgen of dark chocolate, a dab of butter, some egg yolks, and held together with just a spoonful of flour. This fondant is similar to a flourless chocolate-chestnut cream cake I've made before; I'd say this fondant really lets the chestnut dominate, and I love it all the more for it.
Because there are lots of Christmas cookies and treats to be devoured this month, I made a "baby" loaf (half the original recipe) in a paper loaf pan about 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch in size. The mini loaf is perfect for my husband and I to tuck into and share as an after-dinner treat for a couple of nights. This way, I also have leftover chestnut cream to use for a host of other delicious purposes (like in financiers slated this weekend).
With so much deep chestnut flavor, a small wedge (or two) is really satisfying. I love the depth of sweet, nutty, chestnut flavor. The fondant is super moist, a little chewy, and every little compact bite is a wonderful seasonal gift to the chestnut lover. I am so happy to discover this recipe!
With so much deep chestnut flavor, a small wedge (or two) is really satisfying. I love the depth of sweet, nutty, chestnut flavor. The fondant is super moist, a little chewy, and every little compact bite is a wonderful seasonal gift to the chestnut lover. I am so happy to discover this recipe!
