It is chestnut season! Street cart vendors are roasting them and in our mountain orchard they are all over the ground (unfortunately the kind we have are not edible!). In Beirut, chocolate shops are now offering a big treat this time of year, marrons glacés (glazed chestnuts).
Did you know chestnuts are extremely nutritious yet lower in fat and calories than other nuts? (I did not, but glad to hear it!).
Carole, one of my favorite French blogger posted a recipe for chestnut brownies, except she used crème de marrons, a chestnut cream that I was not able to find here; I used canned chestnuts instead and fiddled with the recipe.
These brownies were extremely well received over here.
Use a 9″ square pan. (Can use an 8″ one as well).
Chocolate layer
3 oz dark chocolate at 75% ( 100 g)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp honey
2 large eggs
1 stick unsalted butter (100 g or 4 oz)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
dash of salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp rum or vanilla
Chestnut layer:
1 can of whole chestnuts (15.5 oz or 439 g )
1 large egg
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla or rum (or both)
METHOD:
Make the chestnut batter:
Drain the canned chestnuts very well; place them in the bowl of a food processor and purée them; add the sugar and keep the machine going; add the egg, then oil, then vanilla then cornstarch; transfer to a bowl.
Make the chocolate batter:
Melt the chocolate (cut in chunks) with the butter in a skillet or in the microwave. Set aside to cool for a bit. In the bowl of a mixer (or food processor) place the eggs and sugar and run the machine for a few minutes; add the honey and vanilla then the chocolate mixture; in a bowl, place the flour, baking powder and salt; mix with a fork to blend then add the dry ingredients to the chocolate batter an mix till combined.
Plop the chocolate and chestnut batter onto a greased and floured 8 or 9″ pan; bake in a preheated 350F oven till the chestnut batter is cooked (a knife will come out clean). Cool and serve.
20 Comments
Talk about a unique brownie! Very cool. I thought I was walking on the brownie wild side when I made lemon brownies.
Living in Florida fresh chestnuts are not readily available. Like you, I could probably find the canned version.
Velva
How wonderful to have them roasted right on the street! Makes me think of New York – I miss it!
I looove chestnuts and this is a wonderful idea Joumana, incorporating them in a brownie. Bookmarking this!! It must taste heavenly.
ps aren’t you missing parts of your method section?
I adore chestnuts and just posted a recipe made with marrons glacés so we are totally on the same page!
@Magda: Thanks, I must not have saved it before!
I love chestnuts. I love chocolate. This looks wonderful!
Quel délice d’être accueilli par ce carré gourmand…..j’adore ta photo d’accueil qui rend justice à ta beauté. Bisous et bonne soirée
Hi Joumana – love chestnuts and of course, chocolate brownies so this is a must try. Will be using fresh chestnuts though, should I do the usual crosshair cut, boil for 10 minutes then roast thing? Or just boil? Thank you!
@Linda: I would just boil them which would replicate their texture canned.
@Amy: I love Callebaut but here I used Lindt 75% cocoa extra dark and it melts beautifully and is so good even just for nibbling!
Those look gorgeous! And very decadent yet sophisticated. What chocolate do you prefer for baking?
Would you believe I’ve never tasted a chestnut?! I will have to see the canned variety is available here – these look wonderful.
Oh wow, this is something I definitely have to try.
I love chestnuts but we hardly ever cook them here in the States. I do have a resource for marron paste though, so this one is going on the list!
i’ve never baked with chestnuts.. i have to buy some to make these!!
I haven’t had chestnuts in years. Many Many years. But am getting ready to make a cake from Dorie Greenspan that calls for it. I will have left over puree so I will have to try this one. I bet they were well received.
You can find the puree at Amazon.
IT IS A GREAT RECIPE!!! WE BAKED 30 PANS WHICH WE DONATED TO CHARITIES IN OUR AREA ALONG WITH YOUR APPLE DUMPLINGS AND OTHER GREEK SWEETS.EVERYBODY HERE IS GREETING YOU AND A SPECIAL BLESSING FROM MY 103 YEARS OLD GODFATHER!MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU,YOUR FAMILY AND THE VISITORS OF YOUR HOSPITABLE SITE!!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dds6U6ZgtLoTHESE ARE THE GREEK CAROLS OF THE ASIA MINOR GREEKS.BLEE YOU ALL!
@Jason: You are too kind! So glad you liked the recipe and Merry Xmas and a wonderful New Year to all of you!
Hi Joumana,
Les marrons grillés sont vraiment universels et internationaux ! J’adore ! Quand on passe à côté du marchand, leur parfum est absolument irresistible … Et quand on a un cornet tout chaud dans les mains, on ne peut pas s’empêcher de les dévorer.
Ton brownie est vraiment très gourmand et appétissant.
Je te souhaite un “bon bout d’an” comme on dit à Marseille.
Super pour nous faire découvrir, par ce post, la recette de chocolate brownie, mes petits enfants adorent. Mais je me suis époumoné à trouver un condiments, comme je loge non loin de Evry or je n’y dégote pas régulièrement exactement les mêmes condiments pour une recette. Quand c’est possible on réclame à un ami de s’en procurer à Valence et à défaut je visite sans attendre le guide http://www.mesgourmandises.com qui présente une belle sélection de boutiques en ligne pour faire l’achat sur le web des épices pour cuisiner des bons plats de tous pays. Vous connaissez d’autres pistes pour se faire poster ces épices ? Tous mes remerciements.