Mont Blancs with chestnut cream recipe

By Eric Lanlard

Makes 6
Takes 25 minutes to make, 11/2 hours to bake, plus cooling
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Another classic French recipe, which consists of a delicious combination of meringue piled high with vanilla cream, then sweetened chestnut purée on top. The name comes from its resemblance to the famous mountain. It’s a perfect recipe to prepare ahead.

Ingredients

2 egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch of cream of tartar
125g caster sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
6 marrons glacé (from Waitrose, large delis and specialist food shops), sliced, to serve
50g plain chocolate (50% cocoa solids), finely grated, to serve
Icing sugar, to serve

For the chestnut cream

284ml carton whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g sweetened chestnut purée

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 110°C/fan 90°C/gas 1/4 and line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Pencil 6 x 9cm circles on the paper, spaced apart.
2. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat to soft peaks. Beat in 2 tablespoons sugar, until stiff peaks form, then fold in the remainder with a metal spoon along with the vanilla. Spoon into a large piping bag fitted with a plain 1cm nozzle and pipe rounds onto the paper, using the circles as a guide. Bake for 11/2 hours or until firm to the touch. Cool on a wire rack.
3. In a bowl, beat the cream and vanilla extract until just stiff. Spoon generous amounts on the top of each meringue. Transfer to plates.
4. Beat the chestnut purée to loosen. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 3mm plain nozzle. Pipe wiggly lines over the cream and meringue.
5. Gently push in the marrons glacé slices. Sprinkle with grated chocolate and dust the Mont Blancs with icing sugar to serve.