Chestnut Puree
Chestnuts have a pleasantly sweet taste when cooked.
Chestnut puree can be used in a variety of dishes including stuffings and desserts. It has a wonderful nutty and creamy texture.
In Hungary, a popular dessert known as “Gesztenyepüré” is made with fresh chestnut puree.
Below is a standard recipe for making the puree but you can also add more ingredients into the mixture such as rum, cocoa powder, and whipped cream.
Ingredients
2 lbs of chestnuts
2 cups (230 grams) of confectioners’ sugar (optional)
1/2 of a vanilla bean, cut lengthwise or 1-2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
Directions
Using a sharp knife, make a crisscross cut on one or both sides of each chestnut. Place the chestnuts into a large saucepan filled with 3-inches of water.
Cover the saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-high, and boil the chestnuts for about 20 minutes.
Remove chestnuts from saucepan and allow to cool. Peel off the shell and skin.
Combine the chestnuts and milk in a saucepan. Using the tip of a paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into pan, and toss in pod. Bring to a simmer, and cook, partially covered, until chestnuts are very soft, about 20 minutes.
Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve with a bowl, reserving chestnuts and cooking liquid separately and discarding vanilla pod. Process chestnuts in a food processor or blender until very smooth, adding reserved cooking liquid and additional milk if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture is the consistency of a thick spread. Add sugar or any additional flavors to mixture if desired.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
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i JUST saw fresh chestnuts in a supermarket in kw and wondered… hmm , interesting, but what would i do with them!! hopefully they still have some
~ laura
This is awesome and so filling! I’d say rum is pretty mandatory in this
and personally I can’t imagine this without whipped cream and a cherry on top.
I certainly agree! Rum and whipped cream is a must for Gesztenyepüré . I think a flavored liqueur would also be good with it.
This was, and continues to be, one of my favorite deserts. The rum definitely gives it a unique and enhanced flavor.
I had Chestnut Puree for the first time this week at a Hungarian Restaurant
called Balatron (or similar) and it was the most wonderful dessert I’ve had
in a long time. It definitely had rum and whipped cream. Can anyone tell me
how much rum would be used and I assume it would be mixed into the puree
with the whipped cream just used on the top. Any suggestions would be
appreciated. I’ll be going back to Balatron for more but it’s not that close to
my home.
Sorry – this Chestnut Puree at Balatron also was chocolate so that
would mean adding cocoa powder (?) how much (?).
just do not cook those chestnuts on the picture. they are “wild chestnuts” and they are poisonous
. gestenyepure is such a classic. i have never tried to make it. thanx for the tip. in the shops you get the version mixed with beans. you have to look hard to look for the real thing.
As a Hungarian, I tried to make this from memory……. it wasn’t to bad. But, I’m trying this Recipie Now……. let you know If the Family likes this One Better!! With the added Rum and Vanilla. Thanks
I hope it works out for you! Adding the rum and vanilla gives it a nice flavor. It’s best served chilled when preparing it as a dessert.
Thanks so much for posting this! I lived in Hungary for a year and chestnuts (especially pureed) became my comfort food. I will make this and think of Tata……