Some people also call this Sweet Chestnut Jam – but in my head jams are often fruity and this recipe reminds me more of a Nutella style spread.
If you’re looking for something with a little less sugar why not check out our Sweet Chesnut butter recipe here.
This Spread is a great and interesting way to use up and preserve the abundant sweet chestnuts during their high season in October. I often like to eat it straight on bread but there are quite a few interesting ways in which you could utilise this spread.
This sweet chestnut satay sauce or sweet chestnut and Thai red curry or a sweet chestnut and roasted dandelion root ice cream. I’m actually getting a little bit hungry haha
Ingredients (to make 3-4 average size jars):
- 500g sweet chestnut
- 300g white sugar
- 1 vanilla pod
Method:
- Preheat the oven to the highest setting you have or 400C
- Cut an x into the skin of each sweet chestnut and place on a tray and in the oven – leave to cook for 15-20 minutes
- OR – Cut an x into the skin of each sweet chestnut and place in the microwave for 1 minute
- Whilst still warm but not piping hot-peel the skins and remove any fur off the chestnuts.
- Place in a strong blender and blitz the peeled nuts with 100ml boiling water and blend until smooth enough to pass through a sieve (usually about 5 minutes depending on the power of your blender)
- Add the mix to a pan (that’s right you didn’t actually pass it through a sieve) and add the sugar and scraped vanilla pod seeds..
- Heat until the sugar is dissolved and enjoy hot or cold.