Do you want to learn how to make delicious chestnuts in syrup? Discover how to make this chestnut preserve, ideal to enjoy a sweeter autumn. It is a very easy option to make and prepare, and really delicious to preserve chestnuts.
If we asked you about a food that is extremely characteristic of autumn, and that we can only enjoy during these days, the chestnut may be one of the first that comes to mind. And, indeed, the chestnut stands out for being a seasonal food, which we can only find during the autumn months.
Be that as it may, the truth is that the chestnut stands out for being a very versatile food, not only in the kitchen, so that we can consume them whole when they are ripe (after having removed their hard part and external velvety skin), with the risk that they may be indigestible if we overdo it, or roast them and enjoy them warm.
In fact, roasted chestnuts become a wonderful option to consume when we take a walk down the street, find a stall that prepares them, and then eat them walking through the cold streets during the fall. I don’t know, it’s a wonderful opportunity, almost magical, that I remember from when I was little. Just as I also remember going to the field to collect them, when a thin layer of rain fell and wet you…
Chestnuts are also very versatile in the kitchen, so we can use them in a wide variety of recipes, whether sweet or savory. For example, with them we can prepare exquisite chestnut trout, or use them to make a cake or a sponge cake.
But if there is a traditional -and delicious- option when it comes to enjoying all the flavor of these wonderful fruits, it is making chestnut preserves. In this sense, we explain on this occasion how to make magnificent chestnuts in syrup, with a delicious vanilla flavor. You dare?
Of course, we should not confuse chestnuts in syrup with brown glace, which basically consist of glazed chestnuts, and whose production process is quite different.
How to make chestnuts in syrup:
As you will probably discover for yourself, especially if you dare to make them at home, the recipe for chestnuts in syrup is very easy to follow, and they are -in fact- extremely simple to make. In fact, you only need 3 ingredients and follow a few steps to have them ready. Take note.
Ingredients:
- 2 kg of chestnuts
- 500 grams of sugar
- 1 vanilla pod
- Water
Preparation of chestnuts in syrup:
- First of all, we are going to wash the chestnuts well, in order to remove any possible dirt (earth or dust) that they may have on their outside. Then, once washed, make a cut on their smooth part. Put them in a saucepan ideal for cooking jams, cover them with plenty of water and cook them well for 25 to 30 minutes.
- After this time, turn off the heat, let them cool down, and being careful not to break them, peel the chestnuts. Reserve them. Now filter the liquid where you have cooked the chestnuts, reserve them in the pan, and in another large pan or saucepan add the sugar, cut the vanilla pod in half lengthwise and add it to the pan as well.
- Heat the pan over low heat, stirring constantly until you see that the sugar has completely dissolved. Then bring to a boil, and just at this point carefully add the chestnuts. Cook for 10 minutes.
- To finish, put the chestnuts carefully in glass jars, cover them with the syrup (leaving a little distance with the edge), close them hermetically and sterilize them for 30 minutes. Then take the jars out and let them cool.
- Ready. Your canned chestnuts (or chestnuts in syrup) are ready.
How to preserve chestnuts in syrup (or canned chestnuts):
Chestnuts in syrup can be perfectly preserved between 3 to 8 months, so you can safely consume them for 8 months after processing. To know the exact date of preparation, it is advisable to put a label on the glass jars with the date of preparation.
Then, it is only necessary to keep the canning jars in a cool and dry place, protected from sunlight.
How to eat chestnuts in syrup:
There are those who enjoy chestnuts in syrup on their own, accompanying them with a cup of coffee or tea, and those who prefer to add some other ingredient. In this sense, for example, vanilla ice creams are almost perfect, or add a little hot chocolate on top.
