Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Tag: chestnuts

  • Cinnamon Maple Chestnut Pecan Butter

    Cinnamon Maple Chestnut Pecan Butter

    We have all heard the Holiday song with the line “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…” but how many of us have actually tried chestnuts?  I admit, I did not try them until I was about 21 when I saw them at the local co op, and decided to be adventurous and try them.  I am all for trying any fruit, vegetable nut etc. that is completely vegan.  I had no idea how to prepare them and I had to look it up in a cookbook, which ended up being the Martha Stewart Holiday cookbook I had gotten from the library.  I roasted them in the oven, no open fires at my house.  They smelled really delicious and ended up being really yummy!  I was hooked, and for the rest of the season, I was buying them every week to enjoy.  I still buy them when I see them at the store because they are sort of a special seasonal treat, and you only get them for a few months here.  I had never actually bought them pre-cooked, I usually roast my own, but my Mom gifted me with a container of roasted chestnuts she bought at Trader Joes.  They were actually really good and tasted just like the ones I make myself, just not as warm and toasty.  But, perfect for using in recipes when you don’t want to mess with cooking them (which can be kind of tedious since you have to cut an x in the top of each one before roasting to let the steam escape).

    So what to do with them?  I usually use them in a dessert, but I wasn’t in a dessert mood that day so I decided to make a nut butter out of them.  I figured since they are a lower fat nut, I would combine them with pecans which are rich in fat to make a smooth and delicious nut butter. A lot of times I do mix the nuts in my nut butter to achieve a smoother nut butter, or a certain flavor.  I sometimes like my nut butters more savory and leave them with just a little sea salt, but I decided to add a little cinnamon and maple to this one.  It blended up nicely and the combination was super yummy.  I already love pecan butter for its caramel like flavor, but this one was even more delicious with the chestnuts.

    This is simply heavenly for snacking with a spoon.  But it would also be awesome on apple slices, stirred into your oatmeal, or on toast…you get the idea!  If you happen upon some chestnuts, be sure to give them a try.  If you want to make them yourself, here is how you do it.  Preheat the oven to 400F degrees, and cut an X in the top of each chestnut with a knife.  Spread them out on the sheet pan, and place them in the oven.  Bake them until they start to smell fragrant and the insides are looking toasted, about 10-15 minutes depending on your oven.  Remove them from the oven, and let cool until you can handle them.  Then, remove the shell by pressing down on them (it usually cracks in half if they have roasted long enough). Trust me, it is something you must make at least once in your life, they are super delicious even just plain and fresh roasted!

    Cinnamon Maple Chestnut Pecan Butter
    Makes about 2 cup

    Ingredients:

    • 12 oz roasted chestnuts
    • 3 cups chopped pecans
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

     

    Directions:

    1. Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
    2. Pour into a jar.  Store in the refrigerator for 1 month.

     

     

     

     

  • Chocolate Covered Chestnut Caramels

    Chocolate Covered Chestnut Caramels

    My Grandma used to give us grand kids boxes of chocolate on Holidays.  The assorted ones that had at least 15 different chocolates, and you did not know what they were.  I would always try to guess.  I loved the ones that were all chocolate, caramel, or raspberry cream.  But then sometimes I would bite into one that I totally did not like, maybe a cherry cordial or orange cream (sorry if those are your favorites).  You could usually tell the caramels because they were square.  I really didn’t care if they were dark chocolate or milk chocolate, the caramels were my favorite!  I was thinking about those boxes of chocolates recently and I thought to myself, why not make some chocolate coated caramels?!  I could have a whole batch of my favorite!  I thought I could give them a festive twist though, and I added chestnuts to them.  I love chestnuts this time of the year, they are a delicious snack, that does not get enough attention because I don’t think people know how to cook them. You can usually buy them in the produce section at the store this time of the year.  I have included instructions for making them at the bottom of this post.  Anyways, I think they have kind of a nutty buttered popcorn flavor.  They have a different texture from other nuts that is worth trying out.  You might just get hooked like I am!

    So back to those caramels, I actually had some cooked chestnuts on hand, so I blended them up with some gooey dates to make a delicious caramel.  Date caramel is something that is completely essential if you are a vegan who is trying to eat unprocessed foods.  I mean, technically if you are craving caramel you could just eat a date because they are nature’s caramel, but if I did that here, I could not get that smooth texture and combine them with the delicious chestnuts.  I added some coconut oil to the caramel to help it firm up enough to hold the square caramel shape and it was so silky smooth and luscious!  I could have just eaten it with a spoon, but instead I chilled it and cut it into caramels.

    I melted my favorite dark chocolate for coating these, but you can use your favorite brand. If you are looking for a good quality vegan dark chocolate with good ingredients and no refined sugars, I recommend Lily’s chocolate chips, Luv dark chocolate chunks, or Zimt baking chocolate. Once the caramels were all dipped and set up I was so excited to try one! They were super delicious!  Rich buttery creamy sweet gooey caramel with a thin layer of dark chocolate!  So heavenly!  I would take these over those ones in the boxes of candy I had as a kid any day.  If you are a big caramel fan, or looking for a recipe to include some chestnuts in, give these a try!

    Chocolate Covered Chestnut Caramels
    Makes 16

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups soft pitted medjool dates (soak them in water 30 minutes until soft if not soft, and drain well before using in recipe)
    • 1 cup roasted chestnuts, finely chopped*
    • 1/2 cup filtered water
    • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil (at room temperature)
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 1/2 cups chopped vegan dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the caramel filling, combine the dates, chestnuts, water, coconut oil, vanilla, and sea salt in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.  Spread out onto a parchment lined tray in a square about an inch thick.  Set in the freezer for a few hours until completely firm. Cut into 16 squares, separate them, then place back into the freezer until they are completely hard (if they have warmed up at all).
    2. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler until smooth.
    3. Dip each caramel into the chocolate, coating it completely and allowing the excess to drain off (I like to set mine on a fork to do so), and place back onto the tray.  When they are all done, put them back into the freezer to harden the chocolate if it isn’t set yet.
    4. Store caramels in the refrigerator for up to a month in an airtight container with a lid.

     

    *For Roasted Chestnuts:

    Preheat the oven to 400F degrees, and cut an X in the top of each chestnut with a knife.  Spread them out on the sheet pan, and place them in the oven.  Bake them until they start to smell fragrant and the insides are looking toasted, about 10-15 minutes depending on your oven.  Remove them from the oven, and let cool until you can handle them.  Then, remove the shell by pressing down on them (it usually cracks in half if they have roasted long enough).