Friday, January 14, 2011

Chestnuts Roasting...in a Chocolate Cake





Some foods seem to be a family thing.

Take chestnuts, for example. I love them candied, my Maman enjoys them plain or roasted, and my French grandmother was a chestnut-lover as well. Chestnut-loving could very well be hereditary, and that's not something to overlook.

If you've got a handed-down love for a type of food, then it might just be your duty to make everyone else around you love it as well. It started out pretty well for us: my aunt Mimi, not a huge fan of chestnuts, made her own candied chestnuts this year. Then again, that might have something to do with the fact that she's my Maman's sister. I suspect a hidden appreciation for chestnuts somewhere.

A few days before the New Year, Maman came across a recipe in French Saveurs magazine that is honestly irresistible for the chestnut aficionado out there: chocolate-chestnut layer cake. Fluffly layers of chocolate génoise sandwich a rich, luscious chestnut cream sprinkled with candied chestnuts. Oh, and there's a dark chocolate ganache frosting in there too.


You might be thinking January is definitely not the time for this over-indulgence, but the cake is surprisingly light due to the airiness of the génoise. A year-long way of celebrating hereditary love of chestnuts: I'm in. Are you?

Chocolate-Chestnut Cake
adapted from French Saveurs
serves 8 to 10
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8 comments:

LyB said...

I love chestnuts! That is one gorgeous looking cake, very impressive!

Happy New Year to you! :)

Reeni said...

The cake looks positively delectable! Would love to try some candied chestnut!

cocoa and coconut said...

Wow it looks very lush indeed! I've never really tasted chesnuts, except for chesnut purée which is incredibly rich and sweet.

Barbara said...

I don't like them candied, but I sure love them plain! I use them in everything. I made a similar cake a while back, but thought it was too dense and heavy. Yours looks perfect!

claudia said...

looks really good! welcome back, looking forward to reading about your eating experiences in Vietnam!

grace said...

this looks like a job well done, lucie! i don't think me, my mom, or my grandma have ever even eaten chestnuts, but we do have a hereditary love for pretty much any dessert in the world. :)

Mary Bergfeld said...

That is a gorgeous looking cake. I have to special order chestnuts, but a cake like this make it worth the time and expense. Have a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary

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