Chestnut cake
This rich cake is a traditional treat in Toscana, and is a great change from the norm. With the perfect texture and balance of falvours, this cake won’t last long in a hungry household.
For the pastry:
• 200g flour
• 1 knob butter
• Milk and water as needed.
For the filling:
• 1 kg chestnuts, carved
• 1L milk
• 4 eggs
• 400g sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup rum
• 2 tbsp alchermes
• Pinch of salt
• Grated rind of one lemon
1. Preheat oven to 120°C.
2. Line a 4cm deep tray with baking paper.
3. Cook chestnuts on high heat in a perforated pan for a few minutes. Peel and boil in salted water for about an hour. Drain and pass through a sieve into a large bowl.
4. Add sugar, lemon peel, vanilla, rum and alchermes.
5. Beat eggs and add to puréed chestnut mix. Set aside for two hours.
6. Add milk and stir thoroughly.
7. Prepare pastry by mixing flour with butter, milk and water as needed.
8. Roll dough out with a rolling pin.
9. Line the baking tray with the dough to make pastry casing.
10. Pour chestnut mixture into the pastry mould and bake for about three hours or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.
11. Set aside to cool before serving.