Cooked chestnuts blended with mascarpone and honey, served in small glasses topped with cinnamon-sautรฉed pear.
This chestnut mousse is a thick, velvety dessert made with homemade chestnut cream, topped with pieces of pear browned in butter and cinnamon. The base is made from cooked, purรฉed chestnuts, mascarpone and honey, without store-bought sweetened chestnut spread. For two small glasses, allow half an hour to cook the chestnuts and about ten minutes for the pear, plus drying and cooling time.
What Is Chestnut Mousse ?
The chestnuts used here are edible sweet chestnuts, not to be confused with toxic horse chestnuts. The boiled chestnuts are finely purรฉed, then mixed with mascarpone, honey and a quarter of the sautรฉed pear : the resulting cream is thick, smooth and holds its shape on a spoon.
It is creamy rather than airy, with no beaten egg whites or whipped cream. A little espresso or chestnut cooking water loosens it, and the remaining pear goes on top when serving.
The Origins of This Version
Chestnuts have a place in fall desserts : their sweet, starchy flesh and slightly woodsy flavor lend themselves to purรฉes, layered desserts and creams. This mousse starts with cooked, purรฉed chestnuts, a base that is less sweet than store-bought sweetened chestnut spread, with a measured amount of honey for sweetness.
Its character comes from the mascarpone, the pear used both in the base and as a topping, the touch of espresso and the cinnamon. Served in small glasses, it suits a fall meal just as well as a festive table.
The Main Ingredients
You will need 75 g of chestnuts, weighed raw and peeled, about a dozen depending on their size, and 75 g of mascarpone for richness and creaminess. One large pear, or two small ones, ripe but still firm, flavors the base and becomes the golden topping.
The 2 teaspoons of honey sweeten the cream and help bind it ; you can replace them with a honey-flavored liquid sweetener if you want less added sugar. With this sweetener, one serving provides about 283 kcal. A teaspoon of cinnamon, two generous pinches of salt and a little butter or oil are for the pear.
To loosen the cream, have 1 to 2 tablespoons of espresso or chestnut cooking water ready. For an optional almond note, add half to one tablespoon of amaretto, reducing the espresso by the same amount.
Technique and Serving Tips
Peel the raw chestnuts by cutting off their tips and pulling the shells downward, removing the thin inner skins as well, then add just enough water to cover and cook for at least half an hour. If desired, leave them to soak for another hour or so, then let them dry for about fifteen minutes. Meanwhile, sautรฉ the peeled, chopped pear for 5 minutes in a little butter or oil, add a generous pinch of salt and the cinnamon, brown for another 2 minutes and let cool.
Blend the chestnuts on their own first, then add the mascarpone, honey and a quarter of the pear, blending to a thick paste. Loosen with a tablespoon of espresso, cooking water or amaretto, stir by hand and adjust the consistency. Divide the mousse among pretty little glasses, keeping them covered in the refrigerator if making ahead, and top with the remaining pear, either cold or briefly reheated. For another chestnut dessert, try the gluten-free chocolate and chestnut Yule log.
Ingredients
- 75 g chestnuts weighed after peeling
- 75 g mascarpone
- 1 pear large, or 2 small pears
- 2 teaspoons honey (or honey-flavored liquid sweetener)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 pinches salt generous
- a little butter or oil
- 1 to 2 tablespoons espresso or chestnut cooking water
Optional
- 0.5 to 1 tablespoon amaretto and less espresso
Instructions
- Peel the raw chestnuts. Weigh them raw and peeled. You will need about 12. Cut off the tip of each chestnut and pull the skin downward.75 g chestnuts
- Cover with just enough water and cook for at least half an hour. If desired, leave to soak for another hour or so. Then let the steam escape and leave to dry for about fifteen minutes.
- Peel and core the pear, then cut into pieces. Sautรฉ the pieces for 5 minutes in a little butter or oil. Add a generous pinch of salt and the cinnamon. Sautรฉ for another 2 minutes until golden on all sides. Let cool.1 pear, a little butter or oil, 2 pinches salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Finely blend the chestnuts in a food processor. Add the mascarpone and honey (or honey-flavored sweetener). Add a quarter of the pear. Blend until you have a thick paste.75 g mascarpone, 2 teaspoons honey
- Thin with the espresso, a little chestnut cooking water or a little amaretto. Start by adding one tablespoon, mix by hand and check the consistency. Add more if needed.1 to 2 tablespoons espresso, 0.5 to 1 tablespoon amaretto
- If desired, set the mousse and pear aside until ready to serve. In that case, cover the mousse and refrigerate.
- Divide the mousse among pretty little glasses. Briefly reheat the remaining pear if desired. Then divide it among the glasses.
