Chestnut and chocolate dessert

This is an unusual autumn dessert that stands out for the combination of chestnut and chocolate, which are mixed creating a velvety and very creamy texture. With this recipe we can also adjust the amount of sugar, either by choosing the type of chocolate according to the desired amount of cocoa, or by using pure cocoa and sugar or xylitol.

• The last two ingredients can be replaced with a bar of dark chocolate, with an amount of sugar and cocoa according to preference.
• The quantities above indicated make about 8 servings.

Procedure:

Pour the milk and xylitol or sugar into a pot. Mix and add the chestnuts. Cook over low heat for half an hour, until the chestnuts are tender. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the cocoa and mix until completely integrated. Finally, add the butter and stir until it’s dissolved.

Blend until obtaining a smooth cream. Lightly butter a large mold or several individual ones and pour the preparation. Alternatively, transfer the chestnut cream to a sheet of aluminum foil, form a cylinder-shaped pudding and roll the foil to cover it completely.

In all cases, keep in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. The texture will become firmer but at the same time will remain very soft and creamy.

To present the dessert, just let your imagination fly; I used for the pic a whole chestnut and some mint leaves.

Tips and tricks:

1. The recipe provides for the use of already cooked chestnuts. When using raw chestnuts, first let them soak for at least half an hour to soften the shell. Then make a cross-shaped cut on each one and boiled for a few minutes, until it is possible to peel them without effort.
2. The chestnuts might begin to fall apart after cooking in milk. For this reason, it’s tempting to simply mash them with a fork, and thus not dirty the mixer or processor. The result will still be very good, but we would miss out on that creamy texture that is only obtained by processing the preparation with the mixer.
3. When using a chocolate bar, melt it in a double boiler and add the butter. When the ingredients have been integrated, pour everything over the chestnut mixture with milk and sugar. It’s important not to wait for the chocolate to temper, as it will then begin to harden.
4. The amount of sugar is always a controversial point in the preparation of desserts. I recommend being conservative in this one, considering that cooked chestnuts are already quite sweet, since 10% of their composition is sugar.