Kestane şekeri

Step 1: Score a cross on the flat side of each 2 ¼ lb fresh chestnuts and boil for 8 minutes. Working a few at a time while hot, peel off both the shell and the thin brown inner skin.

Step 2: Wrap each peeled chestnut in a small square of muslin and tie it. Simmer in fresh water for 15–20 minutes, until a skewer goes in easily. Drain gently.

Step 3: Boil 1 ¾ lb granulated sugar, 3 ¼ cups water and 1 vanilla pod in a wide pan for 5 minutes. Add the chestnuts, bring back to a bare simmer for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat, cover and leave for 24 hours.

Step 4: Repeat the 5-minute simmer and 24-hour rest twice more. The syrup thickens each time and the chestnuts darken and turn translucent. Common mistake: rushing it in one long boil; the outside goes hard while the middle stays chalky.

Step 5: On the last day, add 1 tbsp lemon juice, simmer for 10 minutes until the syrup coats a spoon, then lift out the chestnuts, unwrap them and drain on a rack for a few hours until tacky rather than wet.

Step 6: Store in an airtight box between sheets of baking paper for up to 2 weeks.