Chocolate and Chestnut Pots for Saint Valentines

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened chestnut purée
¼ cup Madeira
9 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 eggs, separated
2 tbsp butter, diced

Preparing:

Make a few chocolate curls for decoration, then break the rest of the chocolate into squares.
Melt it with the Madeira in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water.
Remove from heat and add the butter, a few pieces at a time, stirring until melted and smooth.

Beat the egg yolks quickly into the mixture, then beat in the chestnut purée, a little at a time (make sure that each addition is absorbed before you add the next).

Whisk the egg whites in a clean, grease-free bowl until stiff.
Stir about 1 tbsp of the whites into the chestnut mixture to lighten it, and then fold the rest evenly.
Spoon the mixture into six small ramekins or custard cups and chill for 8 hours.

Serve the pots topped with Crème Fraîche or whipped cream and chocolate curls.

Saint Valentine's Chocolate and Chestnut Pots

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened chestnut purée
1/4 cup Madeira
9 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 eggs, separated
2 tbsp butter, diced
Crème Fraîche to decorate

Preparing:

Melt the chocolate with Madeira inwater bath.
Remove from heat and add the butter, stiring until melted and smooth.
Beat the egg yolks quickly into the mixture, then beat in the chestnut purée.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff.
Stir about 1 tbsp of the whites into the chestnut mixture, and then fold in the rest.

Spoon the mixture into small ramekins and chill until set.
Decorate with crème fraîche.

Christmas Chocolate Chestnut Roulade

Ingredients:

1 chocolate roll, see Chocolate Christmas Log
Candied chestnut to decorate
2 cups cream
1 1/2 cups canned sweetened chestnut purée
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, grated
2 tbsp rum

Preparing:

Make the chocolate roll like in the Chocolate Christmas Log.

Whip the cream and rum until soft peaks form.
Beat the cream and grated chocolate into the chestnut purée.
Set aside a quarter of this mixture.

Unroll the cake and spread chestnut cream to within 1 inch of the edge.
Roll it again, by using the towel.
Place it on a serving plate and decorate with the rest of the chestnut mixture and candied chestnuts.