Chestnut Cream Mont Blanc (Mont-Blanc)
Mont-Blanc Say it: mohn BLAHN
Mont Blanc is a classic French dessert named for the snow-capped Alpine peak. A crisp meringue nest is filled with lightly sweetened Chantilly cream, then covered with fine strands of sweetened chestnut purée so it resembles a mountain. It is eaten in autumn and winter, especially in Parisian pâtisseries and at home during chestnut season. The contrast of airy meringue, cool cream and deep, nutty chestnut is what makes it special.
Chestnut Cream Mont Blanc (Mont-Blanc)
Mont-Blanc
Pronounced mohn BLAHN
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 2 hr
- Total
- 2 hr 30 min
- Level
- Medium
Allergens: contains milk, egg, nuts. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the meringue nests
For the chestnut purée
For the Chantilly cream
Method
Heat the oven to 225°F (110°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt to soft peaks, then add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until stiff, glossy and the sugar has dissolved when rubbed between your fingers.
Spoon or pipe 4 round nests about 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide onto the parchment, making a slight hollow in the center of each. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, until dry and crisp and they lift cleanly from the parchment; turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside with the door ajar to cool.
Meanwhile, make the chestnut purée. combine the chestnuts, sugar, water and salt in a saucepan. Simmer gently for 20-25 minutes, until the chestnuts are very soft and the liquid is syrupy, then stir in the vanilla. Blend until smooth, adding water a teaspoon at a time if needed to make a thick, pipeable paste, and let cool completely.
Whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form; keep cold until assembling.
To serve, set a meringue nest on each plate and spoon or pipe the cream into the hollow, mounding it slightly. Pipe fine strands of chestnut purée back and forth over the cream using a piping bag with a very small tip or a potato ricer, covering the cream so it looks like a snowy mountain; repeat with the remaining nests and serve immediately.
Regional variants
Some pâtisseries set the cream and chestnut purée on a sweet shortcrust tart base instead of meringue; Japanese versions often build the cream and chestnut purée on a sponge cake.
Cook's notes
- If you cannot find cooked peeled chestnuts, use 2 cups (500 g) good-quality sweetened chestnut spread (crème de marrons), skip the sugar, water and simmering, and loosen with a little water if needed.
- Meringue nests can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- If the chestnut purée is too stiff to pipe, stir in water 1 teaspoon at a time; if it is too loose, chill it briefly before piping.
Serve with
Coffee, tea, or a small glass of sweet white wine.
Make ahead and storage
Meringue nests keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days; chestnut purée can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Assemble just before serving so the meringue stays crisp.
