Marron Cake Recipes

MARRON CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C (approximately 350°F). Heat 350 grams (approximately 12 ounces) chestnut puree. Stir in butter and cinnamon. Separate eggs. Mix egg yolks with sugar for about 5 minutes or until light and flurry. Stir in chestnut puree.
• Grease pan with butter. Beat egg whites with salt until stiff. Fold into batter along with hazelnuts. Pour half of batter into pan and spread remaining chestnut puree on top. Pour remaining batter over puree and smooth. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool briefly, remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Garnish with sweetened chestnut puree and candied chestnuts. Slice and serve.

GâTEAU à LA CRèME DE MARRON

Steps:

• Put the chestnuts in a saucepan with the milk and the salt, and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, or until soft.
• Drain the chestnuts, discarding the milk, and put them in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the sugar and the stick of butter or margarine, and purée them. Add the rum, pulsing until smooth.
• Spoon the chestnut mixture onto a long, shallow platter, forming it into a narrow loglike rectangle measuring about 3 by 10 inches. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Add the remaining teaspoon butter or margarine, the confectioners' sugar, and a teaspoon of water, and mix well. Using a spoon or fork, drizzle the chocolate glaze over the cake. Garnish with walnut halves, slice, and serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if using.

HUNGARIAN CHESTNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line the bottom of a greased 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Then grease the parchment paper.
• Separate the eggs.
• In a food processor puree the chestnuts with the butter and the rum, scraping down the sides, until the mixture is smooth. Add the melted bittersweet chocolate and blend the mixture until it is combined well. With the motor running, add the yolks, 1 at a time, and transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the whites with the salt until they hold soft peaks, add the sugar, a little at a time, beating, and beat the meringue until it holds stiff peaks.
• Whisk about one fourth of the meringue into the chocolate mixture to lighten it and fold in the remaining meringue gently but thoroughly. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
• Bake the cake in the middle of a 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering to it and the top is cracked. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, remove the side of the pan, and invert the cake onto another rack. Remove the bottom of the pan, invert the torte onto a rack, and let it cool completely. (The cake will fall as it cools.)
• To Make Glaze: Put 6 ounces of the finely chopped chocolate in a small bowl, in a saucepan bring 1/2 cup of the cream to a boil, and pour it over the chocolate. Stir the mixture until the chocolate is melted and the glaze is smooth and stir in 1 tablespoon of the rum. Dip each candied chestnut halfway into the glaze to coat it partially, transfer the chestnuts to a foil-covered tray, and let them set.
• Invert the cake onto a rack set on wax paper, pour the glaze over it, smoothing the glaze with a spatula and letting the excess drip down the side, and let the cake stand for 2 hours, or until the glaze is set. Transfer the cake carefully to a serving plate and garnish it with the coated chestnuts.
• Make the whipped cream just before serving the cake: In a chilled bowl with chilled beaters beat the 1 cup heavy cream until it holds soft peaks, beat in the 2 tablespoons sugar and the1 tablespoon rum, and beat the mixture until it holds stiff peaks. Fold in the chopped candied chestnuts. Serve the cake with the whipped cream.

GATEAU AUX MARRONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch round cake pan and line with a round of buttered parchment paper.
• Purée the chestnuts in a food processor. Add the butter and cream and process until smooth. With the machine running, add the egg yolks 1 at a time. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture just until blended. Pour into the pan and smooth the top. Bake until the cake is firm to the touch, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack, then place on a serving dish.
• Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and stir in the jam and enough water to thin mixture to a spreadable consistency. Ice cake with a thin layer and decorate with macaroons and marrons glacés.