Chestnut Paste

The chestnut—châtaigne or marron in French—is the quintessential starchy nut of the holidays. Harvested in November, it is fêted in towns across France. Nutritious and versatile, chestnuts can be simply grilled, baked, or boiled. They are a classic accompaniment to roasted Christmas capon. Puréed into pâte de marrons (chestnut paste) or sweetened into crème de marrons, they form the basis of iconic desserts such as the Mont Blanc. Although crème de marrons is readily available, pâte de marrons may be harder to locate. You can use the Sabaton brand (pate de marrons or pate de marrons confit), or follow this recipe to make it from scratch.

Pâte de Marrons

Course: Filling

Cuisine: French

Keyword: chestnut, marron

Difficulty: easy

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 5

Total Time: 25

Servings: kg

Calories: 100kcal

Cost: $15

The ultimate chestnut paste

Equipment

1 Food processor
1 Rubber spatula
1 Bowl

Ingredients

800 g Peeled and cooked chestnuts
150 g Glucose or corn syrup
60 g Water
100 g Raw sugar
10 g Vanilla extract

Instructions

The Ultimate Chestnut Paste

The finest chestnut paste is made from marrons au sirop (candied chestnuts).
It yields a dense, intensely flavorful paste that is unbeatable—if you don't mind extra sweetness.
Simply pulse the drained chestnuts to make it.

Chestnut Paste From Scratch

Delicious cooked chestnuts are available in jars. You can also buy them frozen, either raw or pre-cooked.
To make the paste: Warm the peeled and cooked chestnuts in boiling water for a couple of minutes, and drain. In a small saucepan, combine the glucose, water, sugar, and vanilla and bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes on medium heat. Place the cooked chestnuts in a food processor, pour in the hot syrup, and pulse until a smooth paste forms.

Storage

Roll the chestnut paste into a cylinder. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, or store it in an airtight deli container, or sous vide bag. It will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator, and can be frozen for longer storage.

Nutrition

Serving: 50g | Calories: 100kcal

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