This is the recipe of a dessert that is quite popular both in France and Italy. In fact, the 2 nations share a border and the highest mountain in Europe (Monte Bianco/Mont Blanc) which gives the name to this dessert made with chestnuts, whipped cream and chocolate. Its shape reminds of a mountain covered in snow and Monte Bianco literally means “White Mountain”. It is a very filling and super delicious dessert, and one of my favourite winter treats. What I like the most about it is the thick chestnut purée consistency that contrasts with the light whipped cream! And I also love the fact that it is not an overly sweet dessert… it is just right. It used to be my lunch at Angelina’s together with a cup of thick hot chocolate everytime I was in Paris… sigh! It is not hard to make, I’d say the most boring part would be peeling the chestnuts, but if you follow the instructions below it will be a breeze. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Recipe adapted from Giallo Zafferano
Ingredients:
For the Monte Bianco
10 gms cocoa powder
700 gms chestnuts
500 ml milk
1 shot rum
1 pinch salt
1 sachet vanillina (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
120 gms sugar
3 tbsp icing sugar
For the decoration
½ tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp dark chocolate chips
Marrons glacés, chopped
500 ml cream, to whip
3 tbsp icing sugar
The first thing to do is cook the chestnuts. Lay the chestnuts on their flatter side and cut or score halfway around the outer shell until you get to the flesh of the nut.
Put them in a pressure cooker, cover them with water and cook for 10 minutes.
Put the fire off and, as soon as you can handle them without getting burnt, start peeling the chestnuts one by one (do this while still hot or they will be hard to peel). Leave the remaining chestnuts in their cooking liquid while peeling them. You need to remove both the outer and the inner skins.
When peeled, put the chestnuts in a pot with the milk, sugar and salt and boil them for 20 minutes.
Then drain them and keep the chestnut infused sweet milk aside as it makes a great ice cream (the recipe will follow in the next few days).
Blend the chestnuts with the cocoa powder, icing sugar, vanillina and rum until smooth. Let this mixture cool down completely in the fridge for at least a couple of hours.
In the meantime, whip the cream with the icing sugar and keep aside.
Now you can assemble the Monte Bianco. Take a serving dish, put the chestnut mixture in a potato masher and squeeze in on the plate, shaping it like a mountain.
Put the whipped cream in a piping bag and pipe it on your chestnut mountain.
Decorate with some cocoa powder, pieces of marrons glacés and chocolate chips.
Serve and enjoy!
This is a wonderful recipe. I was just wondering for how many persons does this dessert make and what size dish should I use. Look forward to trying this recipe soon.
Thanks! This recipe is enough for 4 to 6 people. I use a normal serving dish (a little bigger than a “dinner dish”)… but you can use anything… you can make it a little wider or thinner and make it “taller”… I hope it helps. 🙂
Hi Manuela, can’t believe I missed this ;-(( just retweeted it. Got to make this with my son Jasper or next year with my coking kids. What fun!!
Somehow I missed this post … hmmmmm… anyhow, I’ve never had monte bianco (as you see, I went with the Italian spelling ;))! BUT I want it … chocolate and chestnut HAS to be good! 😀
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I went to Angelina 3 times during my 2 day Paris trip…The Mont Blanc was definitely my favourite treat!!
You are welcome Rosie! I LOVE Angelina sooooo much too!!! 🙂
How gorgeous is this!!!!
What a cool dessert, Manu!!! I could certainly justify this as my lunch 🙂 And thanks for the details on how to peel chestnuts…nice info.
I love the idea of this rich dessert! here we rarely use chestnuts in desserts but I ate a couple of times at an Italian bakery some chestnuts desserts and oh, boy, were they good!
And covered in whip-cream and chocolate, oh my, i’m gonna dream about this dessert for a while now!
You used to have this for LUNCH, Manu? I like your style! What a gorgeous dessert!
I’ve never heard of this dessert before but it looks so interesting and sounds delicious… especially the chestnut mixture!
It sounds very interesting and just just gorgeous!
Wow Manu this is completely gorgeous! I’ve never cooked with chestnuts before but I’m feeling braver about it already!
Oh, Manuela, really thanks for this recipe!!! I’d love to make these Monte Bianco!! Have always eaten them in pastry shops but never ever imagined trying them at home! These look really wonderful.
Chestnut purée!? Wowsers! Everything about this dessert is a winner. Chocolate, whipped cream, chestnuts! *squeals!* I absolutely need to try this 🙂 Buzzed!
Hi Manu, Your Mont Blanc looks awesome! I don’t know why but I started thinking about Close Encounters of the Third Kind and how I would eat your Mont Blanc whilst making those sounds. Sorry I’m such a dork:) But I do love that movie so take as a compliment as it looks divine.
Thank you for the sweet comment and for sending virtual hugs, hugs back sweetie.
Oh it looks amazing!! Such a great presentation Manu, Ive seen this before in Japanese bakeries but Ive never tried it!
Ok, wow! I am drooling! I don’t know where I can get chestnuts, but I am going on a hunt for them soon!
I’ve never heard of this but it is absolutely stunning!! Love the flavors with the chestnut!
If only I could just lick that from the screen .. that sounded so wrong! You making me drool here Manu !!
Bury me under this heavenly mountain….
This is so delicious and dangerous….
I can not stop eating this once I start…. You have now got me craving this Manu….
What a rich dessert. I love chestnut puré, the Hungarians make something similar to this too! Thanks for sharing.
I didn’t know mont blanc is a French/Italian dessert… you know how popular this is in Japan?? Every single bakery stores sell it and I was wondering why I don’t find it in American bakeries. Duh. I should have known from the name! I’ll send you email how Japanese mont blanc looks like (tell me if it’s authentic or not). This is my mom’s most favorite dessert that she always order. I should how how to make it. Thanks for sharing this beautiful dessert!
What an interesting post, I had never heard of this before. Looks like a fun dessert for kids too!
Beautiful dessert again Manu. I love chestnuts and its powdery sweet texture too.
I have never tried it, but it looks like something I would love. I am a big fan of anything chestnut. BTW, the way they come out of the potato ricer is so cool 🙂
Wow! This some serious dessert! Who wouldnt want to eat a mountain of chocolate hazelnut goodness? Looks amazing Manu!
Oh my God, Manu!!!! Chesnuts now are only a dream, but this fabulous dessert enters my autumn to-do-list!!! 🙂
Beautiful dessert and name! I’ve never try eating chestnuts this way and I’m gonna try it! YUMS!
Chestnuts have always been one of my fav since young. I’ll buy at least one packet whenever I see ’em at the market and the only method I cooked ’em is stewing with pork belly/knuckles or chicken feet with dark soy sauce and other seasonings. I LOVE IT! 😀
Have a wonderful weekends! 🙂
This is a stunning dessert! It is rare that we see chestnuts around here, usually around Christmas, but I am keeping this recipe for that extra special occasion-thanks so much for posting this wonderful european dessert.