Portuguese Chestnut Cake

A dense, moist crumb that melts on the tongue, carrying the woody scent of chestnuts. The thin, slightly crackly crust protects a soft, earthy-colored heart.

• Prep time: 40 min
• Cook time: 60 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 523
• Protein: 9 g
• Carbs: 71 g
• Fat: 20 g

Ingredients

• 333.3 g Chestnut ( whole, to be cooked )
• 133.3 g White sugar ( powdered )
• 4 piece Egg ( yolks and whites separated )
• 66.7 g Minimum butter sweet ( softened )
• 33.3 g Chestnut flour ( sifted )
• 0.7 tsp Cinnamon powder
• 0.7 piece Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f. ( for the zest only )
• 0.7 pinch Gray sea salt

Instructions

1. Chestnut preparation

   Score the chestnut skins. Boil them until they are tender when pierced with a knife. Peel them while still hot; the skin comes off more easily.

2. Pureeing

   Pass the chestnuts through a food mill or masher. You need to obtain a fine, smooth paste without any lumps.

3. Yolk mixture

   Whisk the egg yolks with the white sugar until the mixture whitens and becomes foamy. It should form a ribbon when the whisk is lifted.

4. Base assembly

   Incorporate the softened butter, chestnut puree, chestnut flour, cinnamon, and lemon zest. The batter should be thick and well combined.

5. Egg whites

   Beat the egg whites with a pinch of grey sea salt until stiff peaks form. Gently fold them into the batter using a spatula to keep the air in.

6. Final baking

   Pour into a buttered tin. Bake at 180°C. The cake is ready when it feels firm to the touch and a knife blade comes out clean.

Chef's tips

• Do not overwork the egg whites once folded in, or the cake will lose its lightness.
• If using pre-cooked canned chestnuts, rinse them thoroughly before pureeing.

Storage

Keep the cake under a cake dome at room temperature for up to 3 days. It tastes even better the next day.