A new take on holiday chestnuts

Tea expert and Westfair contributor Ellen Easton offers this scrumptious alternative to chestnuts roasting by an open fire. Courtesy Ellen Easton.

(Editor”™s note:  When it comes to the December holidays, everyone has their favorite foods, including beloved desserts. Here, however, tea expert and Westfair contributor Ellen Easton offers something different using a holiday staple, roasted chestnuts: )  

Ingredients: 

1/2”¯cup, plus 2 tablespoons”¯unsalted butter,”¯room temperature 

1 cup Domino Light Brown Sugar or granulated sugar ”¯(plus extra sugar to prepare baking pan) 

2”¯cups cake flour, sifted 

2”¯teaspoons baking powder 

1/2-cup”¯milk,”¯room temperature 

1 teaspoon”¯pure vanilla extract 

1 tablespoon chestnut purée 

4”¯large egg whites, room temperature 

”¯Ingredients for the ginger whipped cream 

1 cup heavy whipping cream 

1 tablespoon candied ginger 

1 teaspoon”¯pure vanilla extract 

1 or 2 cups to taste, roasted chestnuts, peeled, for topping 

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. ”¯Position the oven rack in the middle of oven. Prepare a Bundt pan ”“ you can also use two 9-inch cake pans or 2 or 3 6-inch teacake pans ”“ by coating the bottom and sides of the pans with nonstick baking spray. (I use Pam baking spray.) ”¯Dust the bottom and sides with Domino Light Brown Sugar or granulated sugar until lightly coated. 

Cream the butter in an electric mixer at medium speed.”¯Add a small amount of sugar at a time and continue beating until creamy. ”¯Add the cake flour, baking powder, milk, vanilla extract and chestnut purée. Beat until smooth. 

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and cling to the bowl. ”¯Fold the egg-white meringue into the prepared batter mixture very carefully so as not to break the air in the eggs. ”¯Pour into the prepared pan/pans. 

Bake for approximately 20 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. 

Prepare the ginger whipped cream.”¯Place the heavy cream, ginger and extract into a mixing bowl.”¯On a high-speed, whip until soft peaks form. Stop and scrape down the sides.”¯(Do not over-whip or it will turn into butter.) 

When the cake is cool, remove from the pan/pans. Top with the ginger whipped cream and garnish with the additional roasted chestnuts.