GLUTEN-FREE CHESTNUT MONT BLANC CAKE
Where we live we happily enjoy our festive season in the hot summer months when chestnuts are not in season. However, like Santa Snow, they are still often thought of as a traditional Christmas component.
So we’ve taken the famous French, fresh chestnut cream dessert, the Mont Blanc, as our inspiration for this delicious gluten-free Chestnut Mont Blanc cake. It celebrates all things chestnut but uses pure chestnut puree …. yes from a tin!
We can assure you that it is absolutely as delicious as the fresh version and much quicker to prepare leaving those of us in the southern hemisphere lots more time to spend with our toes in the sun.
However, for the purists and those in the cold, we’ve included a version using fresh chestnuts.
Happy Christmas baking.
Rosie
CHESTNUT MONT BLANC CAKE
Serves 8-10
For the Cake
4 eggs, separated
125 gm caster sugar
200 gm crème fraiche
1 large lemon, zest only
125 gm chestnut flour
2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
Pinch salt
Preheat oven to 170°C fan forced (190°C conventional). Grease and line with baking paper an 18cm round cake ring or tin.
Whisk egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale. Fold in the crème fraiche and lemon zest. Sift the chestnut flour and baking powder then fold into the mixture.
Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until firm peaks form. Gently fold half the egg whites into the cake mixture until almost combined. Follow with the second half.
Transfer to the prepared cake tin and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a metal skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If the cake browns too quickly, cover it with a piece of foil.
Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before filling and icing.
The cake will keep for 3-4 four days if stored in an airtight container, longer if stored in the fridge.
Chestnut Cream Filling and Icing
1 435gm tin unsweetened chestnut puree
420 ml pure cream
100 gm caster sugar (or to taste)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
300 ml thickened cream
2 tablespoons raspberry jam, homemade or good quality purchased
Transfer the chestnut puree to a medium saucepan and break it up. Add the 420ml of pure cream, the sugar and vanilla and bring just to the boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 30-35 minutes or until the mixture is smooth and the liquid has reduced by at least half. Stir from time to time at the beginning then very regularly towards the end to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan.
Allow to cool a little then pass through a fine sieve while it is still warm.
Allow to cool completely before whipping the thickened cream and folding it through the cold chestnut cream.
Chestnut Cream Filling and Icing Using Fresh Chestnuts
550 gm fresh chestnuts (to yield 400gm cooked chestnuts)
600 ml pure cream
85 gm caster sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
300 ml thickened cream
2 tablespoons raspberry jam, homemade or good quality purchased
Using a sharp knife, carefully make a slit across the centre of the shell of each chestnut. Place the chestnuts in a saucepan and cover with plenty of water. Bring to a boil then simmer for 30-35 minutes or until the chestnuts are tender.
Allow to cool a little in the saucepan. Remove one at a time from the water and remove the outer shell and thin, inner skin. Don’t worry if the chestnuts break up. You will need 400gm of peeled chestnuts.
Place the prepared chestnuts, 600ml of pure cream, the sugar and vanilla in a saucepan and bring just to the boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 30-35 minutes or until the chestnuts are tender and the liquid has reduced by at least half. Stir from time to time at the beginning then very regularly towards the end to prevent the chestnuts from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan.
Allow to cool a little then puree using a stick blender. Pass the puree through a fine sieve while it is still warm.
Allow to cool completely before whipping the thickened cream and folding it through the cold chestnut cream.
To Assemble
Using a serrated knife, level the top of the cake if necessary then cut the cake in half horizontally. Place the top half onto a serving plate, with the cut side facing up.
Spread the surface of the cake with raspberry jam. If the jam is stiff, gently heat until you achieve a spreading consistency.
Place one quarter of the chestnut cream filling into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm piping tube and pipe the filling onto the cake. Pipe in concentric circles starting from the outside and working in to the centre. Or just pile the filling onto the cake and spread out evenly with a spatula.
Gently place the second cake half on top. The base of the cake should now be facing up. Ice the top and sides of the cake with half the remaining chestnut cream.
Place the remaining chestnut cream into a piping bag fitted with a 4mm piping tube.
Start piping in large circles building up height as you go and reducing the diameter to form a conical Christmas Tree shape. If you find this difficult, you can fashion a cone shape with a piece of cardboard and pipe around the outside.
Decorate with coloured balls, stars or any decoration you prefer.
Store the iced cake in the fridge but bring back to room temperature before serving. The iced cake will last in the fridge for several days.
TIPS:
If you prefer not to adorn your cake with a Christmas tree shape, you can pipe the chestnut cream onto the cake as we have done in the picture below – Mont Blanc style - and serve it at any time of the year.
