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Gesztenyepüré
Chestnut purée with cream
Gesztenyepüré: sweet chestnut purée riced into strands under whipped cream
No Budapest cukrászda menu in autumn is complete without a glass of gesztenyepüré: sweet chestnut purée pushed through a potato ricer so it falls in loose brown strands, crowned with a cloud of whipped cream and often a glacé cherry. It is soft, nutty and creamy rather than sugary, and it came to Hungary from Viennese kitchens in the days of the empire. Classic café versions add a splash of rum to the chestnuts; this one leaves it out and uses vanilla and a little cocoa, so it is alcohol-free. A common mistake is pressing the purée into the glass with a spoon, which turns it into a dense paste; let the strands fall loosely straight from the ricer. Chef's tip: chill the purée well before ricing, because cold purée holds its strands and the cream stays on top.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the purée
- 14 oz cooked peeled chestnuts
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 ½ oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
For the topping
- 1 cup double creamwell chilled
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- 4 glacé or sour cherries (optional)
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What you'll need
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put the 14 oz cooked peeled chestnuts, ¾ cup milk and 2 ½ oz caster sugar in a small pan over a medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until the chestnuts are very soft and most of the milk is absorbed.
5 minStep 2: Blend with the 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder to a thick, smooth paste that holds its shape on a spoon; add a splash more milk only if the blender stalls.
3 minStep 3: Spread the purée on a plate and chill for at least 10 minutes (or up to 2 days), until cold and firm.
10 minStep 4: Whip the 1 cup double cream with the 1 tbsp icing sugar to soft, billowy peaks.
3 minStep 5: Press the cold purée through a potato ricer straight into 4 glasses, letting the strands fall loosely.
3 minStep 6: Top each glass with a big spoon of cream and one of the 4 glacé or sour cherries if you like, and serve at once.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gesztenyepüré take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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