Recipe: Autumn Delight

Preheat oven to 180°(th6).

1- Place parchment paper in a 24 cm diameter mold.

2- Whisk together flour, sugar, egg whites, hazelnut powder, melted butter and honey.

3- Pour into mold and bake 10 to 15 minutes.

4- Cool then cut 8 rounds of dough with 6 cm diameter mousse rings. Keep chilled.

5- Score the chestnuts and cook 10 minutes in water.

6- Drain then remove the shells and peel the inner skin.

7- Place the chestnuts in a saucepan, pour milk to cover and cook until they mash easily.

8- Drain then pass through a food mill.

9- Weigh 300 g of this puree.

10- Cook the sugar and water to 121°(hard ball) then pour over the puree, mix and blend to obtain a finer cream.

11- Split the vanilla pod in half, remove the seeds, add to the chestnut cream and cook stirring frequently until thick enough to hold its shape after unmolding.
Cool.
Place a round of dough at the bottom of 4 mousse rings 6 cm in diameter. Top with chestnut cream then cover with another round of dough.
Keep chilled for at least 2 hours then unmold onto a plate or serving dish. Decorate according to your imagination with whipped cream, caramel sauce, hazelnuts etc...
You can use pre-peeled natural chestnuts to save time. To vary the flavors, add raisins macerated in rum to the chestnut cream, crushed hazelnuts...