Chinese-style Chestnut Tarts

A lard-based flaky pastry that crumbles delicately to reveal a dense, smooth chestnut filling. The woody aroma of the fruit meets the crunch of the golden crust.

• Prep time: 60 min
• Cook time: 30 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 956
• Protein: 9 g
• Carbs: 117 g
• Fat: 48 g

Ingredients

• 300 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 150 g Lard ( at room temperature )
• 400 g Chestnut ( cooked and peeled )
• 100 g White sugar ( fine )
• 80 ml Mineral water ( lukewarm )
• 2 tbsp Sunflower oil ( for the filling )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt ( to enhance flavor )

Instructions

1. Preparing the filling

   Mash the cooked chestnuts into a fine puree. In a pan, heat the sunflower oil and white sugar. Add the puree and work with a spatula until the paste pulls away from the sides and becomes shiny.

2. Water dough

   Mix the wheat flour, lard, and mineral water. Knead until you get a smooth, supple ball with the consistency of an earlobe. Let rest for 20 minutes under a cloth.

3. Oil dough

   Mix the remaining wheat flour with the remaining lard until homogeneous. This dough should be fattier and crumble easily.

4. Shaping the layers

   Wrap the oil dough inside the water dough. Roll out, fold into thirds, then repeat. You should see the layers of fat forming within the dough.

5. Assembly and baking

   Cut out dough circles, place a ball of filling in the center, and close. Flatten slightly to form discs. Bake at 180°C until the crust is golden and the layers start to lift.

Chef's tips

• The secret is in the resting time: don't skip the 20 minutes, or the dough will be elastic and impossible to roll out.
• If the filling is too sticky, cook it longer in the pan to dry it out properly.

Storage

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days. Reheat for 5 minutes in a hot oven to restore the crunch.