Mont Blanc

A cold dessert made of vanilla-flavoured chestnut pureé, topped with a dome of Chantilly cream and decorated. Alternatively, the cream may be surrounded by a border of sweetened chestnut pureé and mounted on a base of sablé pastry or meringue.

Recipe:

Shell 1 Kg (2¼ lb) chestnut and simmer them until soft in 1 litre (1¾ pints, 4⅓ cups) milk with 150g (5 oz, ⅔ cup_ sugar, a pinch of salt and a vanilla pod (bean) split in two. Press the chestnut through a potato ricer and pack the vermicelli-like chestnut pureé into a buttered ring mould. Refrigerate for at least 30  minutes. Whisk together 400 ml (14 fl oz, 1¾ cups) double (heavy) cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar and 25g (1 oz, ¼ cup) icing (confectioner's) sugar to make Chantilly cream. Turn the chestnut ring out on to a dish and fill the centre with the Chantilly cream.  Refrigerate until served. Can be Decorated with pieces of marrons glacés and crystallized (candied) violets.