Soft Chestnut Cake from Marradi
A typical autumn chestnut dessert that is incredibly delicious, originating from ancient Romagna cuisine (the recipe seems to date back to the 1700s), but it also reminds one of the castagnaccio from traditional Tuscan cuisine. At the time, this wonderful autumn chestnut cake was prepared on important occasions or even for Christmas.
There are many variations of this recipe, and it can be said that each family has its own version passed down through generations.
Ideal to bring to the table for special occasions and important events, it makes a great impression and is always liked by everyone. It’s an easy recipe but requires some time for preparation. However, I assure you it’s absolutely worth it, the success of this creamy chestnut dessert is guaranteed!
The original recipe for this ancient chestnut dessert calls for the use of marrons, which differ from chestnuts, the wild fruit of the chestnut tree, while the marron comes from cultivated trees and is sweeter. However, this cake also works perfectly well with chestnuts; you just need to add a little sugar to the original recipe.
In the past, chestnuts were a staple food for mountain farmers when wheat was scarce; the bread (or pasta) was replaced by sweet polenta made with chestnut flour. Indeed, the chestnut tree was also called the “bread tree”.
You might also be interested in:
All about CHESTNUTS: recipes from sweet to savory!
If you love autumn desserts, also try this fabulous “Pumpkin Pie with Caramel Sauce”.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 10 People
- Cooking methods: Oven, Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients for the Soft Chestnut Cake from Marradi
- 2.2 lbs Marrons (or chestnuts)
- 4 Eggs (whole)
- 1.75 cups Sugar (if using marrons; if using chestnuts, use 2 cups of sugar)
- 3.5 tbsp Alchermes
- 3.5 tbsp Dark Rum
- 4.2 cups Whole Milk (approximately)
- 2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- to taste Salt (a pinch)
- to taste Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (optional)
- to taste Maple Syrup (optional)
- 1.6 cups Flour
- 0.25 cup Milk
- 0.7 oz Water
- to taste Salt (a pinch)
Tools
- Scale digital, with removable bowl and alarm timer
- Bowls Guzzini set of various sizes
- Rolling Pin
- Knife
- Pot
- Brush
- Mixer electric 500W power and 5 speeds + turbo
- Baking Pan non-stick ADJUSTABLE
Preparation of the Soft Chestnut Cake from Marradi
First, score the chestnuts (or marrons) vertically on the flat side and then roast them on a perforated pan or in the oven. Then, remove both the shell and the inner skin. Alternatively, if you have the luck to buy them already peeled, to easily remove the inner skin, blanch them for 5-10 minutes in boiling water, and then remove the inner skin (you can also score the chestnuts and microwave them for 2 minutes).
Once the chestnuts (or marrons) are peeled, cover them with cold water and boil them with a pinch of salt, a tablespoon of vanilla (or a pod), and 50 g of sugar (taken from the total of 400) for about an hour, until they are soft and mushy and have absorbed all the water. Then pass them while still hot through a sieve.
Let the chestnut puree cool and add the sugar, the 4 beaten eggs, the rum, the vanilla, a pinch of salt, and the alchermes, the mixture will take on the characteristic red/brown color.
Mix everything with an electric whisk, the mixture must be smooth and lump-free, then let it rest for an hour (important, to infuse the marron mixture well). Then also add 1 liter of milk, not all at once, adjust as you pour the milk, it largely depends on the type of marrons (or chestnuts), I only added 500 ml. In any case, do NOT worry if the mixture seems very liquid, that’s how it should be, it will firm up during the 3-hour baking.
Mix the flour, butter, milk, and water in a bowl, the dough should be elastic and not sticky, and should rest covered under a pot for at least 30 minutes.
Roll out a very thin sheet (like for strudel) with a rolling pin and line a roughly 23×30 cm baking pan (I use an adjustable baking pan) well greased and floured, the sheet should extend beyond the pan’s edges, then once the mixture is poured, you can trim it.
Pour all the marron filling over the pastry sheet, the height should not exceed 1.5 inches, brush the pastry edges with melted butter, and then bake the cake at 320°F (160°C) for 3 hours (it should never boil) until set.
Remove the cake from the oven when a toothpick inserted into the mixture comes out dry, and then turn it out of the mold. The cake is cut into “lozenges” with a knife dipped each time in cold water.
I sprinkled the chestnut lozenges with unsweetened cocoa powder (or you can pour maple syrup over them, but this is my optional and indulgent variant). Store the cake in the fridge.
Notes and Tips
If desired, the Chestnut Cake from Marradi can be made gluten-free: simply avoid preparing the pastry sheet and pour the chestnut mixture into a rectangular mold lined with parchment paper (even disposable aluminum molds work).
Shopping Tips!!!
To weigh the ingredients in my recipes, I always use this very handy digital scale with removable bowl, tare function, and alarm timer.
I quickly prepared this cake with the excellent and very powerful NWOUIIAY electric mixer with 5 speeds (+ turbo) and 500 W of power.
I obtained a beautiful bright pink chestnut mixture with the La Reggia Alchermes.
To bake the cake, I used this practical adjustable non-stick pan which has high heat conductivity resulting in uniform cooking of dishes.
You can purchase all the items I recommend above on Amazon at a great price, just click directly on the respective links.
Difference between Chestnuts and Marrons?
Visually, chestnuts and marrons differ in color and shape. Usually, chestnuts are a bit smaller and flatter than marrons. The shell is tough and dark brown. Marrons, on the other hand, are a bit larger, have a striated shell of a slightly lighter brown, and a rounded shape that somewhat resembles a heart (if you want to learn more about the difference between Marrons and Chestnuts, read here).
