Oh my. Oh my, oh my. It tastes good before it gets into the oven.
I’ve had in the cupboard a tin of chestnut puree, for a long, long time. Possibly since before we moved here, in November 2007. Its date was up in 2008, but I never chucked it, ever hopeful I’d find a home for it in a chocolate cake one day. I bought it as a bargain, for some reason reduced to 68p from a couple of quid, I recall. I’m programmed not to resist a bargain, just like my father, and so I walked home from the corner shop just now, £3.78 lighter for not having found a recipe using cocoa rather than 70% dark chocolate, and not having the energy to go all the way to the supermarket, not immune to the irony and with a niggling fear that I’d just blown four quid on what could be an off tin of chestnut. I love the corner shop, though. The man’s penny tin is for his local Hindu temple, and he’s given Babs free toys – a much-loved mobile phone and a periscope. He’s welcome to my £3.78.
Anyway, much Googling yielded several chocolate chestnut recipes, some with bonkers quantities, and some with obscure ingredients (dried cherries, anyone?) I’d not find in the supermarket, let alone my storecupboard. I checked Nigella, and Hummingbird, and Good Housekeeping and the Green & Black’s cookbooks, but nothing was quite as straightforward as Hugh Twiddly-Whatnot’s Chestnut and Chocolate Truffle Cake.
I had a sudden panic (“£7 wasted!”) as I realised I’d added 250ml milk to already pureed chestnuts, rather than the chestnuts Hugh had specified, so I ditched some of the milk and threw in the excess chestnut puree and am still waiting for it to lose some of its looseness as it sits in the oven at 50 minutes and counting rather than the specified 25-30. (It’s in a slightly smaller tin, and therefore deeper, so I’m crossing my fingers and shaking the oven from time to time). It looks like it might be ok, and a tiny ramekin one I made from the excess I dared not pour into the tin, didn’t remain intact for Babs as I’d hoped, but confirms it’d be ok as half the quantity in 8 or so ramekins for an impressive pudding for friends.
Pictures will have to come later, as Terry’s taken the camera out with Babs to his friend’s birthday party this afternoon. Shame – the tiddler was a cracked little photogenic gem. Hopefully I can resist the big one before he gets home. I’ll pour myself a glass of wine to detract from the temptation.
Here you go. The little one didn’t survive. I wonder how long this one will.
August 2, 2010 at 3:43 pm |
As far as I remember, if a product has a best before date, that means you can consume it after that date and it won’t kill you, but it might taste weird. A use by date means that you shouldn’t consume it after. Something to do with bacteria, processing method etc.
Re dried cherries: Trader Joe’s sells them prepacked and I’m pretty certain they can be bought in bulk at Whole Foods. If the recipes were from the US that would explain it. Let me know if you want a shipment.
August 2, 2010 at 3:44 pm |
BTW – cake looks yummy.