Recipe courtesy of Gourmet Magazine
Caramelized Chestnuts
- Total: 1 hr 22 min
- Prep: 50 min
- Inactive: 15 min
- Cook: 17 min
- Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
1 pound jar vacuum-packed whole chestnuts (not canned) or 1 pound roasted chestnuts (method below)
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon salt
4 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- If using vacuum-packed chestnuts arrange them in a shallow baking pan in one layer and bake in upper third of oven 6 to 8 minutes, or until hot and outsides are dry. If roasting chestnuts roast as per method below.
- In a large bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and salt. Add hot chestnuts to sugar mixture, tossing gently to coat, and put a rack over baking pan.
- In a 3-quart saucepan heat 1 1/2 inches oil over moderate heat until a deep-fat thermometer registers 350 degrees F. Working in batches of 8, fry chestnuts 1 to 2 minutes, or until brown and crisp. With a slotted spoon transfer chestnuts as fried to rack. Return oil to 350 degrees F between batches and carefully skim caramelized sugar from surface of oil as necessary.
- Chestnuts are best served immediately but may be made 1 hour ahead and kept, uncovered, at room temperature.
