Chestnut Chocolate Marquise

26 September 2005

Although we’ve been having good weather for late September, summer is definitely on the way out and I’m already comfortable wearing autumn colours – and thinking about similarly seasonal recipes.

I’m not a big fan of chestnuts per se, but it’s a different story when used as puree in desserts. I think my most frequently prepared dessert using chestnuts is Mont Blanc – I love the simplicity of it that lets the flavour of chestnuts really come out. I found this recipe in Emily Luchetti’s A Passion for Desserts and gave it a try straight away as I was in a ‘I want to try something autumnal now!’ mood :)

It was really easy to make – bake the chocolate sponge and fill with chestnut mousse – the latter comprising of chestnut puree, creme fraiche, sour cream and double cream (vanilla and orange zest are good extra touch). In the recipe it suggests using a loaf pan to mould the cake but I used a Matfer buche cake mould that I bought from my last trip to Paris. The cake turned out really nicely, but it didn’t taste as strongly as of chestnuts as I expected – I think it depends on what puree you use, but I’m going to use less creme fraiche and sour cream next time. I quite liked the orange and chestnut combination, and as you can imagine it works well with chocolate too.
 

Food - Sweet        29 comments    Permalink

  • Dear Keiko, I’ve been resisting the urge to purchase A Passion for Desserts, but this might just tip me over the edge! Not only are you masterful at executing recipes, your plating and photography skills are mindblowingly accomplished. Thank you for a cheery start to the week. Perhaps I’ll finally get around to making chestnut ice cream this week with the can of creme de marrons I’ve been hoarding for the last six months.

    Posted by S | 26 September 2005 #

  • Hi keiko - I, too, love chestnut sweets and have tried similar stuff last year, which turned out good but didn’t look as sophisticated as yours :)

    I didn’t do a post about our visit to Hidemi Sugimo shop either in Japanese or English blog. I might if I go back there and get something... they don’t let you take photograph in the shop though.

    Posted by chika | 26 September 2005 #

  • Keiko, looks wonderful as always. So simple, so elegant...I’m not a fan of chestnuts (I nearly blew apart the oven last year, lacking essential knowledge of how to prepare chestnuts), but this might help me change my mind...

    Posted by Cath | 26 September 2005 #

  • Every thing is as usual,unbelievably fine. Keiko you are definitely a artist! I like your works and I love sweets with chestnut!

    Posted by dilek | 26 September 2005 #

  • Dear Keiko- I like the buche mould so much but I can’t get it here in my country. I am such a big fan of chestnut desserts. I was able to try chestnut cake and mont blanc before and I like both of them very much. I use the chestnut puree fron Hero which is okay in taste and in sweetness. I am actually intrigue by the combination of chestnut and orange! Thanks

    Posted by Cathy | 26 September 2005 #

  • Hi Keiko,

    This sounds like a refreshingly light cake that would be perfect to have with tea in the afternoons. Unfortunately, the weather here is still very hot and humid, so I might have to travel somewhere cool soon.

    Posted by Reid | 26 September 2005 #

  • keiko, is there no end to your culinary talent?! i’m positively drooling over my keyboard right now! ok, it’s time to grab a copy of this recipe book as i absolutely love dessert... :)

    Posted by Lil | 26 September 2005 #

  • I have to agree with you about chestnuts, Keiko. I like a bit of their flavor, but not a lot of it, so I like that it is downplayed here.

    Posted by Nic | 26 September 2005 #

  • Hi Keiko,

    This is simple and elegant! And I love love chestnuts :) Thank you for always sharing such beautiful edible works of art!

    Posted by soycap | 26 September 2005 #

  • Oh, that is gorgeous - what a lovely plating! And the cake does sound like it wouldn’t be too complicated to make, comparatively speaking. I love all the autumny things in food right now: chestnuts especially.

    Posted by Luisa | 26 September 2005 #

  • You do create some of the finest stuff around and take excellent pictures of it. But, sigh, you get the most homogene comments! Maybe you should do something really ugly just to get some variation in the comments? ;)

    Posted by [k] | 26 September 2005 #

  • Keiko, That is simply beautiful!

    Posted by Melissa | 26 September 2005 #

  • I shouldn’t have come here…I’ve been trying hard to resist the temptation to buy chestnut puree… but you made it way harder. :O Ahhhhh...!

    Posted by obachan | 27 September 2005 #

  • Beautiful!

    P.S: Keiko, thanks for visiting my site.

    Posted by Shanna | 27 September 2005 #

  • Hi there, thanks so much for all your kind notes!

    S - I’m already looking forward to reading your post about chestnut ice-cream!

    Cath - I’m glad you didn’t blow up your oven, using puree is always a safer option :)

    Cathy - it was actually my first time to use a buche mould, maybe I should have bought a bigger one though... I’d love to try other purees too, I’m sure all of them have quite different texture/sweetness.

    Reid - I’m jealous you can still enjoy the summer! (or is it always summer in Hawaii?)

    [k] - thanks for the suggestion, I’m actually considering it...

    Obachan - don’t resist, just buy and eat as much as you want :)

    Shanna - thank YOU for writing posts in English, I hope you’ll do that sometime so that I can enjoy it too...

    Posted by keiko | 27 September 2005 #

  • Hello keiko,

    First thx for comment on my last shot :)

    I very like your chesnut chocolate marquise. Very nice and elegant. The DOF is perfect. I like the little blur. Nice !

    S.

    Posted by Sakana | 28 September 2005 #

  • Hi Keiko,

    I love the sound of the chestnut mousse. There are chestnuts dropping from the trees all over Paris lately so they’ve definitely been on my mind. Sounds like a perfect dessert to welcome autumn!

    Posted by Michele | 28 September 2005 #

  • Hello Keiko,

    Your dessert looks beautiful as always. How on earth did you manage to slice it so thinly, and smoothly? You definately have a knack for making all your lovely creations seem effortless.

    Posted by emily | 28 September 2005 #

  • Hi Keiko, thanx for giving the link where i can find a buche mould. I’ve been looking for it for ages and couldn’t find one. Thnax thanx thanx...

    Fanny

    Posted by fanny | 28 September 2005 #

  • hi keiko, i love your presentation of the marquise - it looks utterly elegant and beautiful. using the buche mould is a stroke of genius - did you bake the ladyfinger batter in a sheet instead of fingers?

    Posted by J | 28 September 2005 #

  • Gorgeous, but (just to be different) that looks like about two bites and I’d be in the kitchen looking for the rest of it because that’s not nearly enough!

    Posted by kitchenmage | 29 September 2005 #

  • Hi Keiko,

    Your website is truly inspiring. I reside in Melbourne, Australia and spend half my life going through cooking blogs.I stumbled across yours and I just love it. I have alot of interests one photography in amongst others and I must say its a joy to open your blog everyday. I started my own blog http://ateliercapucine.blogspot.com/ because I enjoy making jewellery as well and thought it would be good to share ideas with others.

    Keep posting because you do inspire alot of people.

    Good Luck.

    Posted by Alpa | 29 September 2005 #

  • Hi Keiko

    WOW!! this looks perfect as always.You are a great inspiration to do better!

    Posted by clare eats | 29 September 2005 #

  • Hi keiko, just wanted to tell you i tagged you for the childhood food memories meme. I know you’re quite a busy blogger but i’ll be very pleased if you decided to make it.

    xoxo

    Fanny

    Posted by fanny | 29 September 2005 #

  • Love the contrast of textures, Keiko. Beautiful work and a gorgeous combination. Another great welcome to fall, and a bit of an unexpected twist.

    Posted by tara | 29 September 2005 #

  • Hi there, sorry for being late getting back and thanks so much for all your kind notes.

    Michele - autumn in Paris... hmm.

    Emily - I actually froze it, some of my books suggest to do that especially when you make mousses etc.

    Fanny - you should be able to get their stuff easier and cheaper as you live in France!

    J - yes I baked the sponge on a sheet (since I didn’t quite get why I needed to bake ladyfingers...)

    Kitchenmage - as you might have guessed, I had 4 or 5 more slices in one go no problem!

    Alpa - thanks again, looking forward to reading your food posts too.

    Posted by keiko | 20 October 2005 #

  • Hello from Australia

    I adore the food on your site, but there don’t
    seem to be any actual recipes, giving quantities, etc. etc.

    This is so disappointing as there are so many of them I’d love to try.

    I’m as much frustrated as I am inspired.

    ROSEM’RY

    Posted by rosemry bertel | 5 April 2007 #

  • Hi Rosemary – thank you for your note and I’m sorry it’s taken so long to get back to you. As for recipes, I always note in my posts where they are from – so please buy the book if you are interested.

    Posted by keiko | 22 January 2008 #

  • Hi Keiko,

    The images on your website are pretty amazing. We discovered your website via our good friends at Sierra Rica in Spain. Being a creative director at G3 Creative I realize just how difficult it is too get such fabulous results.

    Thank you for sharing them with us.

    Adrian

    G3 Creative, Scotland

    Posted by Adrian | 24 June 2008 #

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