Everyday Simple Chestnut Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Lightly butter the side of the pan and lay a sheet of wax paper along the bottom.
• Soften butter to room temperature.
• Cut up the chestnuts finely.
• Knead the butter in a small mixing bowel, till creamy.
• Add sugar little at a time and mix well until creamy.
• Add egg yolks, vanilla and milk gradually, mixing well with each addtion.
• Add chestnuts and breadcrumbs, mix briefly.
• Place the bowl of egg whites inside another bowl, of ice water.
• Beat the egg whites until they stiffen.
• Fold chestnuts and bread crumbs mixture into egg white.
• Mix with just a few strokes and pour into 10 inch tube pan.
• Butter oneside od a sheet of alminum foil and cover the top of the tin with it (buttered side down).
• Place the cake in a preheated steamer and steam on medium 30 to 40 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl set over boiling water until chocolate is nearly completely melted, then remove from heat and whisk mixture until smooth.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks with half the sugar (1/4 cup/50 grams) and the salt until pale and thick. Stir in the warm chocolate and set aside.
• Put egg whites in a clean bowl with cream of tartar and beat until fluffy, then add remaining 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar and beat until whites are stiff but not dry.
• Stir chestnut flour and chopped chestnuts into the chocolate batter, then fold in 1/4 of the whites to lighten mixture. Fold in remaining whites and scrape batter into an unbuttered 8-inch springform pan, smoothing top if necessary.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out almost clean. Cool on a rack. It may sink and crack a bit on top - this is fine. Run a knife around the edge of cake to free sides and remove form. Transfer to a serving platter. (Cake may be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
• To serve, whip cream with 2 tablespoons sugar to a very soft consistency. Spoon over top of cake and quickly spread with a spatula. Sprinkle with chocolate curls or cocoa powder.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Heat the water and soak raisins until soft and water has cooled. Drain the water from the raisins and reserve.
• Combine flour, soaking water, 2 TB of the oil, stevia (or sugar) and sea salt in a mixing bowl and blend to form a creamy dough. (I've used Kosher salt rather than sea salt.).
• Blend the raisins, pinenuts and rosemary into the batter. Rosemary is traditional in that region, but I don't use it -- up to your taste buds.
• Pour 2 TB oil into an 11 inch shallow baking pan and coat. Pour in batter and drizzle the remaining 2 TB oil on top.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until the surface begins to crack. Pour off excess oil. Remove from pan and serve hot.
• NOTE: Chestnut flour is great for gluten sensitive people. It can be substituted for all or part of any flour. It has a naturally sweet, wholesome taste and is more nutritious. I've been contemplating using a small amount of ground dried rosemary for a little flavor, but haven't tried that yet -- .

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Oil pan and dust with chestnut flour, knocking out excess.
• Toast hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan until fragrant and interior of nuts are pale golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Rub nuts in a kitchen towel to remove any loose skins (some skins may not come off). Cool nuts to room temperature and chop medium-fine.
• Sift together chestnut flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl, then stir in nuts.
• Beat together egg yolks, oil, honey, and 2 tablespoons sugar with an electric mixer at high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes in a stand mixer or 8 minutes with a handheld. Add flour mixture and mix at low speed just until flour is moistened.
• Beat egg whites and a pinch of salt in another medium bowl with cleaned beaters at medium-high speed until they form soft peaks. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar a little at a time, beating, and beat until whites just hold stiff peaks. Fold one third of whites into batter to lighten it, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Spread batter in pan and rap pan on work surface once to release any large air bubbles. Bake 30 minutes, then loosely cover with foil and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes more. (Cake is naturally dark.)
• Transfer cake in pan to a rack and cool 30 minutes, then remove side of pan and cool completely. Remove cake from bottom of pan to serve if desired.

Steps:

• Put the chestnuts in the food processor with the sugar, then process until fairly smooth. Put the butter and chocolate in a pan with the milk, then gently heat, stirring, until they have melted to a smooth sauce. Stir in the vanilla and cognac. Add to the chestnut mix in the food processor, then whizz again until fairly smooth.
• Line a lightly buttered small loaf tin with cling film, then pour in the chestnut truffle mix. Smooth the top, then cover the tin with cling film. Chill for 24 hrs.
• To serve, turn the truffle cake out onto a flat plate or board. Peel off the cling film. Gently melt the chocolate, butter and cream for the topping, then spread over the top and sides of the cake. Return to the fridge to set. Will keep in the fridge for another 6 days. Decorate with a dusting of icing sugar. Serve cut into thin slices with a little single cream poured around (cold vanilla custard is also very good).