Recipe for Marron Glacés, candied chestnuts (2024)
I think the first sign of a food blogger's madness is seeing a recipe that takes 4 days and delightedly rubbing your hands with glee. Which is exactly what I did (ok perhaps I did not rub my hands with glee, that seems a little old school villain) but when I saw this recipe for these sweet candied little chestnut morsels I had to try and make them. I am not foolish enough to think that mine will turn out as perfectly as Clément Faugier's but I was happy to give it a go and see how it would turnout. I was also working from home this week so the requisite 4 day cooking time was no problem.
I used a hybrid of different recipes and the biggest problem I had was shelling them and I think I perhaps boiled them for too long (one recipe specified 20 minutes which I think is too long, they became too soft and break up). So all in all, I only got about 12 whole marron glaces and a whole lot of tiny pieces. However this is not a complete loss, the broken up pieces are delicious served in a Mont Blanc style dessert served as they are on top of a mountain of whipped cream. Trust me, this isheaven. And don't discard the chestnut flavoured syrup, it's a wonderful alternative to maple syrup on pancakes or ice cream. In fact I ate it with home made crumpets and my husband concurred that it was a fabulous combination.
This is my last chestnut recipe for this season, I am departing soon to warmer lands for a holiday where chestnuts are out of season. So I shall say a sad goodbye to chestnut and will await your return next Winter!
Marron Glacés (Candied chestnuts)
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Step 1 - Start 4 days before you want to use them, as that's how long the process takes.
Step 2 - Peel chestnuts of their outer shell. Drop them into boiling water for 10 minutes. Lift out with a slotted spoon or wire spatula, and, trying to keep the chestnuts whole, peel off both the outer shell and inner skin, as quickly as you can, while they are still hot. Once cold, the skin begins to adhere to the nut, so keep the unpeeled chestnuts in hot water. The broken pieces will taste just as wonderful.
Step 3 - When all the chestnuts have been shelled and the membranes removed, using a large pan, cook the sugar, water and the vanilla bean over low heat, stirring all the while until the sugar dissolves. Allow to gently simmer for 5 minutes, then add the chestnuts. Bring to the boil and cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat and discard the vanilla bean.
Step 4 - Cover the saucepan and allow to steep over night or at least 12 hours. Bring again to the boil and cook 1 minute more. Again allow to stand this time for 24 hours. Repeat again from * to * until all the syrup has been absorbed (shouldn't take more than 3-4 times). My syrup did not fully absorb after 4 days so I just drained the pieces. Cooking over the time may inhibit the crystallization process - which is dependent on the above steps.
Step 5 - Drying process: preheat oven to 65°C (about 150F), cover an oven rack or baking rack with parchment paper (or waxed). Distribute the crystallized chestnuts evenly and allow to dry out for 2 hours with the oven door propped open a few centimeters or until they are firm. I stuck a pair of long tongs in the oven door to prop it ajar a few centimeters.
Step 6 - Pack the chestnuts individually in cellophane or saran wrap; put into little crinkle-edge paper sweet cases, and keep in an airtight container. If kept more than a week or so, the sugar in the chestnuts may start to crystallize; in this case, it is better to preserve them in their syrup, draining them before use.
The French refer to chestnuts as châtaigne or marron. Both terms refer to the fruit of the sweet chestnut Castanea sativa. However, marron tends to denote a higher quality, larger fruit that is more easily peeled.
Marron Glace is considered a luxury product, and [producers must adhere to rigorous standards during the production process. A proper Marron Glace must have a thin coating of crunchy glaze, but the chestnut itself must be very tender and soft, with practically a melt-in-your-mouth quality to it.
Marron Glace is a specialty product and can be hard to find. A good substitute is any dried fruit, like apricots or dates. If you can't find candied chestnuts (a.k.a. marron glace), here are some ideas: Dried (or fresh) fruit like cranberries, raisins, cherries, blueberries, apricots, dates, etc.
Our additive- and preservative-free “marrons glacés” will keep for 24 months in their original freshness pouch. They can thus be stored at room temperature, which makes them ideal for the export market.
The flavour of Australian Marron is quite subtle, slightly sweet with nutty overtones and a firm consistency. Regardless of size, Marron are one of very few animals that retain the same delicate taste and texture making it very popular with high end restaurants and chefs around the world.
Male marron are distinguished by having two bluish penes (small protrusions) at the base of the most posterior (last) pair of the five pairs of legs. Females have a round opening at the base of each of the third pair of legs. One male can service five or more females.
To keep your “Marrons Glacés” fresh and tasty, it is recommended you store them in a cool and dry place, ideally in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator (4 to 6 degrees C). For optimal taste, place the “marrons” at room temperature half-an-hour before enjoying.
The first marrons glacés appeared in the 16th Century in Lyon. According to other sources, they were created during the same period in Cuneo Italy where sugar and chestnuts could be found in abundance.
The reason candied chestnuts are so pricey is that it takes a long time to make them, plus the cost of importing them—I don't know whether anyone makes them domestically. You can make them yourself, if you have four days to spare this winter, when chestnuts are in season.
Raw chestnuts are safe to eat for most people. However, they do contain tannic acid, which means they could cause stomach irritation, nausea, or liver damage if you have liver disease or experience a lot of kidney problems.
Ideally, you should aim to use them within two weeks, but under the right conditions of coolness and high humidity, they might remain good for up to three weeks. Our choice of mesh bags allows the chestnuts to breathe, preventing potential spoilage from condensation build-up if stored in non-breathable containers.
The word "maroon" derives from the French marron, meaning chestnut. Maroon is derived from French marron ("chestnut"), itself from the Italian marrone that means both chestnut and brown (but the color maroon in Italian is granata and in French is grenat), from the medieval Greek maraon.
Chestnut or castaneous is a colour, a medium reddish shade of brown (displayed right), and is named after the nut of the chestnut tree. An alternate name for the colour is badious. Indian red is a similar but separate and distinct colour from chestnut. Chestnut is also a very dark tan that almost appears brown.
marron means chestnut and implies brown with a hint of red and is typically used when describing eye color. For hair color brun or châtain is often used instead of marron. Brun is a more commonly used way to say brown for lots of things.
Edible chestnuts belong to the genus Castanea and are enclosed in sharp, spine-covered burs. The toxic, inedible horse chestnuts have a fleshy, bumpy husk with a wart-covered appearance. Both horse chestnut and edible chestnuts produce a brown nut, but edible chestnuts always have a tassel or point on the nut.
Introduction: My name is Domingo Moore, I am a attractive, gorgeous, funny, jolly, spotless, nice, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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