Preheat the oven to 180° (gas mark 6).
1 Line a 24 cm diameter mould with parchment paper.
2 Whisk together the flour, sugar, egg whites, hazelnut powder, melted butter and honey.
3 Pour into the mould and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
4 Cool then cut 8 rounds of batter using 6 cm diameter mousse rings. Keep in the fridge.
5 Circle the chestnuts and cook for 10 minutes in water.
6 Drain then remove the shells and peel the skin.
7 Place the chestnuts in a saucepan, pour milk to cover and cook until they crush easily.
8 Drain them then pass through a potato ricer.
9 Weigh out 10.5 oz (300 g) of this purée.
10 Cook the sugar and water to 121° (soft ball stage) then pour over the purée, mix and blend to obtain a finer cream.
11 Split the vanilla pod in half, scrape out the seeds, add to the chestnut cream and cook, stirring frequently, until it is thick enough to hold its shape after unmoulding.
12 Cool.
13 Place a round of batter at the bottom of 4 mousse rings of 6 cm diameter. Top with chestnut cream then cover with another round of batter.
14 Keep in the fridge for at least 2 hours then unmould onto a plate or serving dish. Decorate as you like with whipped cream, caramel sauce, hazelnuts, etc.
Tip: You can use ready-peeled natural chestnuts to save time. For a twist, add raisins macerated in rum to the chestnut cream, or crushed hazelnuts.
Congratulations on your lovely recipe, perhaps a bit technical, wouldn't you say? (smiles)
Question: are the egg whites raw or whipped?
As you can see, I've given it a little refresh so it's as clear as possible for everyone.
No comments yet. Be the first to share your experience!
Help other cooks
Share a tip, your adaptation, your result. Every comment counts.