It’s chestnut time!

Wintertime means chestnut time! In Ireland chestnuts are not as known, however you can find them in the stores during the winter season. The European chestnut mainly comes from Portugal, Spain, France and Italy. Boiled and included with a roast, “marrons glacées” or roasted, they are a delicious fruit for the cold winter time.


Chestnuts are fruits and opposed to real nuts they are very low in fat. They are high in vitamin C, magnesium and high in starch and sugar. Roasting them e.g. in the oven reduces their water content and increases their caloric value to 200 kcal per 100g because of the increasing sugar concentration. This explains the pleasant sweet taste of roasted chestnuts. Also chestnuts are high in fibre which is associated with positive health effects such as decrease in cholesterol levels, reduction of the risk of cardiovascular diseases, positive regulation of insulin response, increase in anticancer mechanisms and positive effects on metabolism of blood lipids and the intestine.


How to roast the chestnuts:

For 2 people:


Take about 2 handfuls of chestnuts. With a knife, cut open about 1cm of each chestnut shell.


Put on a tray and bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes (depending on size of the chestnuts) at about 180°C. Enjoy J

Pâte à choux / dough for profiteroles

For about 15 Choux:

1/4 L of water

150g flour

100g butter

4 eggs

1 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon of sugar

In a big pot boil the water together with the salt, the sugar and the butter. Add the flour in one go and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough detaches from the pot. Turn off the cooker and stir the dough for another minute.

Add the first egg and stir energetically (the first egg defines the elasticity of the dough) till the egg is perfectly mixed under the dough. Add the 3 remaining eggs one by one by stirring well each time. Stir the dough for another minute.

With 2 tablespoons form little balls and put them onto baking paper on a baking tray.

Bake for about 25 minutes in a preheated oven (180°C). Do not open the oven before the choux are ready. Once ready, turn off the oven and wait 5 minutes before taking the choux out. Leave the oven door open.

Clafoutis (french cherry cake)

So here is my very first recipe, it's the easiest thing to bake in the world.

This is what we need:

• 150g of flour
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 3 eggs
• 250mL of milk
• 250-500g of fresh cherries or tinned cherries

 

Mix the flour, salt, sugar and eggs like a pancake dough. 

Add the milk till you receive a smooth liquid dough.

Clean the fresh cherries or drain the tinned cherries and put them into a buttered and floured baking tray.

Pour the dough over the cherries and bake in a preheated oven (180°C) for about 30 to 40 minutes.

Enjoy!