There's an old company in France, Clément Faugier, that makes a beautiful blend of puréed chestnuts, sugar and vanilla, which is what I used here – it's available in some supermarkets and delis, and online.
5. Prepare syrup: In a small saucepan, combine rum, chestnut purée, sugar and butter.
If the icing is your favourite part of a chocolate log, then give hers a whirl: it's a solid cylinder of chocolate, butter, chestnut puree, sugar and cream.
Place all of the dry ingredients (the flour, chestnut flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) n a large mixing bowl and, using an electric mixer, blend together on low speed for 30 seconds.
Allow the chestnuts and sugar syrup to cook gently until the syrup browns slightly.
Serve warm with powdered sugar, chestnut honey and ricotta or pecorino.
Natalie and Valerie Wong, London, twinnydip.blogspot.co.uk Serves 12+ For the cake 250g unsweetened chestnut puree 50g sugar 90g butter 150g dark chocolate 50g cocoa powder 6 tbsp (about 90g) honey 2 tbsp boiling water For the citrus reduction Juice of 5-6 orabout (about 250ml) 1 lemon, juice only 20g sugar 1 Beat the chestnut puree with the sugar in a mixing bowl until soft.
Makes 15. 190g 70% cocoa solids dark chocolate, cut into small pieces 190g unsalted butter, cut into 2cm cubes 150g pitted soft prunes, halved 3 eggs 1 tsp vanilla essence 220g caster sugar 110g chestnut flour, sifted ¼ tsp salt 150g cooked and peeled chestnuts, broken in half Heat the oven to 170C/335F/gas mark 3. Line a 20cm x 30cm high-sided baking tray with parchment paper.
Then, head to In Watermelon Sugar (3555 Chestnut Avenue; 410-662-9090), where you'll find decidedly un-Ikea furniture.
Pierre Hermé, famous for his daring macaroon flavours, is equally inventive with his galette des rois: this year's version has a wintery chestnut and brown muscavado sugar filling.
