The Chestnut Montblanc or Montebianco, very popular in Piedmont and Lombardy, likely originated in France.
Its shape resembles a snow-covered mountain, so decorate it with whipped cream on top and a few dollops scattered around to simulate a snow-capped peak.
Choosing the right ingredients for the Chestnut Montblanc is crucial for the success of the Montebianco. Choose the largest and meatiest ones.
Making the Chestnut Montebianco is not difficult; you just need to be patient when peeling the chestnuts once boiled and still very hot.
A scenic and elegant dessert, the Chestnut Montblanc is perfect for festive occasions and can be enriched with grated chocolate on top or some marron glacé.
Below you’ll find other delicious desserts for festive days, and then right after the photo, we’ll discover how to prepare the Chestnut Montblanc or Montebianco!!
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for the Chestnut Montblanc or Montebianco
- 14 oz chestnuts (or marrons)
- 1.67 cups milk
- 2.8 oz sugar
- 2 tbsp rum
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 oz unsweetened cocoa powder
- 0.85 cups fresh liquid cream
- 0.7 oz powdered sugar
- as needed dark chocolate (in flakes)
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 Potato masher
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Colander
- 1 Hand blender
- 1 Piping bag with star nozzle
Preparation of Chestnut Montblanc or Montebianco
To prepare the Chestnut Montblanc, first thoroughly rinse the chestnuts by leaving them to soak in water for a few minutes.
Drain the chestnuts and make a clean cut without reaching the flesh using a sharp knife.
Transfer the chestnuts to a large pot and cover them with cold water, then cook for 30 minutes.
You can speed up this step by using a pressure cooker with a little water and cooking them for 10 minutes from the whistle.
Drain the chestnuts and peel them using a sharp knife, also removing the brown skin that covers them internally.
In the same pot where you cooked the chestnuts, arrange them once peeled, add the sugar, milk, and vanilla extract.
Cook the chestnuts over medium heat for 30 minutes from boiling; they should be very soft, and the milk should have been absorbed.
At this point, we used an immersion blender in the same pot to puree them.
Alternatively, you can transfer the chestnuts to a potato masher and puree them, letting them fall into a clean and dry bowl.
Sift the unsweetened cocoa over the chestnut puree, adding the rum as well, and mix the mixture very well.
Let the Chestnut Montebianco mixture rest covered with cling film for at least 20 minutes.
After the resting time, you can assemble the Chestnut Montblanc, so whip the fresh cream with powdered sugar to very firm peaks.
Transfer the whipped cream into a piping bag with a star nozzle.
Take the chestnut-based mixture and using a potato masher, preferably with medium-large holes, let the mixture fall onto a serving plate.
You can prepare a single Montebianco or 4 individual portions by letting the preparation form a mountain.
With the piping bag, form dollops of cream at the base of the dessert and also on top to simulate snow.
Shave the dark chocolate into flakes and sprinkle it on top; alternatively, you can use unsweetened cocoa powder or marron glacés.
The recipe for Chestnut Montblanc or Montebianco is ready, let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before enjoying.
I leave you my FACEBOOK PAGE if you want to be updated every day with my new recipe, just leave a like.
How to store the Chestnut Montebianco
You can store it in the refrigerator for 3 days, but my advice is to enjoy it within a few hours.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use another liquor instead of rum?
You can create a tasty variant by substituting rum with chocolate liqueur.
What can I use instead of dark chocolate?
You can decorate the dessert with unsweetened cocoa powder or halved marron glacés.
Can I add something else to the whipped cream?
You can use small meringues crumbled on top of the whipped cream.
