Recipe for Marron Glacés, candied chestnuts (2024)
I think the first sign of a food blogger's madness is seeing a recipe that takes 4 days and delightedly rubbing your hands with glee. Which is exactly what I did (ok perhaps I did not rub my hands with glee, that seems a little old school villain) but when I saw this recipe for these sweet candied little chestnut morsels I had to try and make them. I am not foolish enough to think that mine will turn out as perfectly as Clément Faugier's but I was happy to give it a go and see how it would turnout. I was also working from home this week so the requisite 4 day cooking time was no problem.
I used a hybrid of different recipes and the biggest problem I had was shelling them and I think I perhaps boiled them for too long (one recipe specified 20 minutes which I think is too long, they became too soft and break up). So all in all, I only got about 12 whole marron glaces and a whole lot of tiny pieces. However this is not a complete loss, the broken up pieces are delicious served in a Mont Blanc style dessert served as they are on top of a mountain of whipped cream. Trust me, this isheaven. And don't discard the chestnut flavoured syrup, it's a wonderful alternative to maple syrup on pancakes or ice cream. In fact I ate it with home made crumpets and my husband concurred that it was a fabulous combination.
This is my last chestnut recipe for this season, I am departing soon to warmer lands for a holiday where chestnuts are out of season. So I shall say a sad goodbye to chestnut and will await your return next Winter!
Marron Glacés (Candied chestnuts)
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Step 1 - Start 4 days before you want to use them, as that's how long the process takes.
Step 2 - Peel chestnuts of their outer shell. Drop them into boiling water for 10 minutes. Lift out with a slotted spoon or wire spatula, and, trying to keep the chestnuts whole, peel off both the outer shell and inner skin, as quickly as you can, while they are still hot. Once cold, the skin begins to adhere to the nut, so keep the unpeeled chestnuts in hot water. The broken pieces will taste just as wonderful.
Step 3 - When all the chestnuts have been shelled and the membranes removed, using a large pan, cook the sugar, water and the vanilla bean over low heat, stirring all the while until the sugar dissolves. Allow to gently simmer for 5 minutes, then add the chestnuts. Bring to the boil and cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat and discard the vanilla bean.
Step 4 - Cover the saucepan and allow to steep over night or at least 12 hours. Bring again to the boil and cook 1 minute more. Again allow to stand this time for 24 hours. Repeat again from * to * until all the syrup has been absorbed (shouldn't take more than 3-4 times). My syrup did not fully absorb after 4 days so I just drained the pieces. Cooking over the time may inhibit the crystallization process - which is dependent on the above steps.
Step 5 - Drying process: preheat oven to 65°C (about 150F), cover an oven rack or baking rack with parchment paper (or waxed). Distribute the crystallized chestnuts evenly and allow to dry out for 2 hours with the oven door propped open a few centimeters or until they are firm. I stuck a pair of long tongs in the oven door to prop it ajar a few centimeters.
Step 6 - Pack the chestnuts individually in cellophane or saran wrap; put into little crinkle-edge paper sweet cases, and keep in an airtight container. If kept more than a week or so, the sugar in the chestnuts may start to crystallize; in this case, it is better to preserve them in their syrup, draining them before use.
It's a combination of natural factors and the accumulated reputation! First of all, making Marron Glaces is a delicate, labor-intensive, and costly process.
Marron Glace is a specialty product and can be hard to find. A good substitute is any dried fruit, like apricots or dates. If you can't find candied chestnuts (a.k.a. marron glace), here are some ideas: Dried (or fresh) fruit like cranberries, raisins, cherries, blueberries, apricots, dates, etc.
Our additive- and preservative-free “marrons glacés” will keep for 24 months in their original freshness pouch. They can thus be stored at room temperature, which makes them ideal for the export market. Glazing remain translucent and thin.
The French have two terms referring to Chestnuts, which within the culinary arts, can be tricky. Châtaigne and Marron both mean "chestnut." Whenever nutmeat is contained within one brown hull/husk, it is referred to as marron (edible, or comestible).
To keep your “Marrons Glacés” fresh and tasty, it is recommended you store them in a cool and dry place, ideally in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator (4 to 6 degrees C). For optimal taste, place the “marrons” at room temperature half-an-hour before enjoying.
While the city of Lyon in France holds a claim to the invention of marron glacés, Italy also asserts its rights to the delicacy. Known as “marroni canditi” in Italy, it's believed that the French might have initiated the idea, but the Italians perfected it.
But today they are celebrated and savoured in these beautiful sweet treats. After being harvested in November, they are roasted and delicately coated in sugar syrup and individually wrapped. The result is a smooth, sweet, nutty delight – a delicious indulgence.
Candied chestnuts, or marrons glacés in French, are without question a labor of love. The chestnuts are first sorted to eliminate those that are not perfectly round or smooth. They are then boiled, peeled by hand, and sorted once again.
- Bring water to the boil. - Add handful of salt (sea water is best). - Cook for 6-8 minutes, till red and floating. - Place in ice water to cool, then after a couple of minutes, peel and enjoy.
Marron Glacé is a confection consisting of a chestnut candied in sugar syrup and glazed. The origin of this preparation is still unclear: it seems however that it was born in the the sixteenth century somewhere between the north of Italy and the south of France.
There is no artifice in this chestnut taste - tenderly woody, no sourness, just a little sugar. Our marrons glacés are exceptionally soft! Because of our great expertise, our marrons glacés are made with very little sugar. This gives them their squishy but non-rubbery texture that none can match.
The term comes from the French word glace, which, when used in reference to a sauce, means "icing" or "glaze." It is traditionally made by combining one part espagnole sauce and one part brown stock. The sauce is then reduced by half, strained of any leftover impurities, and finished with a sherry wine.
Today, Crème de Marrons is a product all on its own. In some cases, the chestnuts are already candied, in others the chestnuts are puréed and blended with sugar and vanilla. Chestnut cream is sold in tubes or pull-top cans and placed on the shelf next to the Nutella and confiture in most French grocery stores.
The flavour of Australian Marron is quite subtle, slightly sweet with nutty overtones and a firm consistency. Regardless of size, Marron are one of very few animals that retain the same delicate taste and texture making it very popular with high end restaurants and chefs around the world.
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