Mont Blanc Dessert (Monte Bianco) is named after the Alps' highest mountain, bordering Italy and France. This recipe is the Italian version, all made from scratch. The soft chestnut purée is shaped like vermicelli and is topped by an irregular whipped cream Chantilly to imitate the rocky mountain. In Italy, the chestnuts are boiled in milk and served over a sweet meringue base. In France, chestnuts are boiled in syrup and placed over pastry. It is a classic Autumn recipe when chestnuts are in season.
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There are many versions of Mont Blanc; this is the version I grew up with in Rome. Everything in this recipe is made from scratch to reproduce its original flavor and shape.
The chestnuts are boiled in milk and shaped like vermicelli. The chestnut puree is placed over a homemade meringue, and the whipped cream is irregularly piped on the top. I am very skilled at irregular piping!
While you will find perfectly shaped and piped Mont Blanc desserts over the internet, this pastry should not look perfect as it should resemble a rocky mountain topped with snow.
It is the perfect recipe to make with children, especially on Halloween, when the Mont Blanc can be transformed into a scary ghost.
For more egg whites recipes, you can check the Nougat recipe Torrone, Mini Meringues, Chestnut Pavlova, Floating Island, or watch the web story: Desserts Using Egg Whites.
Some recipes use chestnut boiled in syrup or canned chestnut puree you can buy in stores. However, I prefer this version made from scratch. There is less sugar, and you can taste the chestnuts.
You can find this more straightforward version of the recipe in this article: chestnut pavlova or you can try the simple roasted chestnuts over a campfire or in the oven.
Ingredients
Meringues
To make the meringues, you need:
Egg whites : the egg must be at room temperature, so ensure you take them out of the fridge hours before. When separating the eggs, the egg whites should not be contaminated with the yolk. Remove the yolk from the white over a different cup, so you don't contaminate the other whites if the yolk breaks. Sugar : regular castor sugar - White wine vinegar and corn starch: it may look strange to you that I am listing white wine vinegar and cornstarch to make meringues, but I can assure you these two ingredients will make a big difference in the meringue final crunchiness
Chestnut puree
- Boiled and peeled chestnuts: if you buy them at your local supermarket, ensure they are natural and not cooked in sugar. You can also boil and peel the chestnuts from scratch, but it is labor intensive.
- Icing sugar: to make a smooth puree
- Milk: whole milk will give more flavor, but you can also use half fat
- Vanilla bean: cut the vanilla bean in half, so the seeds mix with the chestnuts. You can also use vanilla extract
- Cream: with fat higher than 35% so it can be whipped into a firm peak
- Icing sugar
- Vanilla flavored icing sugar or vanilla essence
See recipe card for quantities.
Step by step instructions with images
This recipe is for single-portion Mont Blanc desserts; however, you can also make it as a cake by baking a large meringue base.
I make two different sizes: one with a 2 in - 5 cm diameter and the other with a 3 in - 8 cm diameter. The first can be served at a buffet and eaten with your hands. The second should be served on a plate and eaten with a dessert spoon or fork.
2 in - 5 cm diameter
3 in - 8 cm diameter
Meringues
Before you start, ensure the egg whites are at room temperature and there is no trace of yolk.
You can find more detailed information in the article: Crunchy Mini Meringues
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks in a bowl one at a time. If the yolk breaks, you cannot use the white. Replace it and use the broken egg for something else.
- Whisk the egg whites until they become firm, then gently add half of the sugar.
- Add the rest of the sugar mix
- Place the egg white into a piping bag
- On a baking tray, lay a sheet of parchment paper
- Remove the ring and form another circle
- Combine the vinegar and the cornflour with the rest of the sugar.
- Whisk until it forms a stiff peak
- Tie up the end
- Place the rings and pipe the egg whites to form a flat meringue.
- Bake them at 300 F - 150C for 1 hour
- Once ready, turn off the oven but leave them in the oven to cool down
Hint: the meringues do not need to be perfectly shaped as they will be covered.
Making the chestnuts puree
- Place the peeled chestnuts into a small pan
- Let it simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes until the chestnuts become soft
- With a vegetable strainer, mash the chestnuts to create a vermicelli shape
- Add the milk, the sugar and the vanilla pod cut into two
- Stir with a wooden spoon mashing the chestnuts
- Store in the fridge for 30 minutes
Whipping the cream
For a perfect whipped cream, put the whisker and the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes before you whip it.
- With an electric mixer, whisk the cream with the sugar until stiff.
- Fill the cream in a piping bag
- Push the cream toward the nozzle by twisting the opposite end
Hint: If you whip the cream for too long, it will become butter
Assembling the Mont Blanc pastries
- For the small Mont Blanc, you should use a paper cup so they can be easily held with two fingers
- Place the meringue inside the paper cup
- Place the ring mold over the meringue to contain the chestnut puree
- Put the chestnut puree inside the ring over the meringue without pressing it, so it maintains that characteristic vermicelli shape
- Remove the ring gently and pipe the whipped cream on top of the chestnuts
- Do the same for the larger meringue
- Decorate with a crystallized violet flower or pieces of Marron Glace' and dust with icing sugar
- Keep in the fridge until serving
Hint: comes Spring you can cristallize your own violets from the garden. Another fun project to do with children.
Substitutions
If you want to save time, you can buy the meringue and the whipped cream already made.
Although I do not recommend using the chestnut jam you find in the shop, it differs from the chestnut puree we are using here in this recipe.
The chestnut jam is made with chestnuts boiled in syrup. This is the French version of Mont Blanc.
I use the commercial chestnut jam in the recipe: Chestnut Pavlova
Variation
Because the Mont Blanc should not look perfectly shaped, it is a great recipe to make with children.
Especially for Halloween, you can let their imagination go and transform the Mont Blanc into a scary ghost.
Equipment
To make this recipe, I would recommend an electric mixer as whipping the egg whites and the cream by hand is very tiring on your arm.
To pipe the meringue and the whipped cream, I use this cotton pastry piping bag with a large nozzle. I do not use disposable bags as they are not environmentally friendly.
I use an electric vegetable strainer to rice the chestnuts, but you can also use a manual vegetable grinder.
To shape the meringues and compose the Mont Blanc use a simple cookie cutter with different diameters.
If you want to serve the Mont Blanc as finger food, I recommend the Party Paper Baking Cups 2 in - 5 cm.
Storage
You can store the Mont Blanc desserts in the fridge for up to 3 days. They are also suitable for the freezer.
Top tips
- To make the meringues, the eggs have to be at room temperature
- The egg white should have no trace of yolk. Therefore, when separating the yolk from the white, use a separate bowl for each egg. If a yolk breaks, you cannot use the egg white.
- It may look strange to you that I am listing white wine vinegar and cornstarch to make meringues, but I can assure you these two ingredients will make a big difference.
- The meringues need not be perfectly shaped as they will be covered.
- Use a vegetable strainer to make the chestnuts puree, do not use a blender, as it will completely change the consistency of the puree.
- For a perfect whipped cream, put the whisker and the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes before you whip it.
- Do not whip the cream for too long. It will become butter.
Savoury recipes with chestnuts
- Stuffed pork tenderloin with chestnuts
- Sausagemeat and chestnut stuffing rolls
- Vegan gnocchi with chestnuts
If you are making this Mont Blanc Dessert, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, or sign up to my newsletter.
📋 Mont Blanc Dessert
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the meringues
- 3 egg whites
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
For the chestnuts puree
- 1 lb Boiled and peeled chestnuts
- 2 cup whole milk
- 1 vanilla pod
- 5 tablespoon icing sugar
Whipped cream
- 2 cups whole cream
- 1 tablespoon icing sugar
Instructions
Meringue
- Before you start, ensure the egg whites are at room temperature and there is no trace of yolk.3 egg whites
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks in a bowl one at a time. If the yolk breaks, replace it and use the broken egg for something else.
- Whisk the egg whites until they become firm, then gently add half of the sugar.1 cup caster sugar
- Combine the vinegar and the cornflour with the rest of the sugar.1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- Add the rest of the sugar mix
- Whisk until it forms a stiff peak
- Place the egg white into a piping bag and Tie up the end
- On a baking tray, lay a sheet of parchment paper
- Place the rings and pipe the egg whites to form a flat meringue.
- Remove the ring and form another circle
- Bake them at 300 F - 150C for 1 hour
- Turn off the oven but leave them in the oven to cool down
Chestnuts puree
- Place the peeled chestnuts into a small pan1 lb Boiled and peeled chestnuts
- Add the milk, the sugar and the vanilla pod cut into two2 cup whole milk, 1 vanilla pod, 5 tablespoon icing sugar
- Let it simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes until the chestnuts become soft
- Stir with a wooden spoon mashing the chestnuts
- With a vegetable strainer, mash the chestnuts to create a vermicelli shape
- Store in the fridge for 30 minutes
Whipped cream
- With an electric mixer, whisk the cream with the sugar until stiff.2 cups whole cream, 1 tablespoon icing sugar
- Fill the cream in a piping bag and push the cream toward the nozzle by twisting the opposite end
Composing the mont blanc
- For the small Mont Blanc, you should use a paper cup so they can be easily held with two fingers
- Place the meringue inside the paper cup
- Using a ring mold, put the chestnut puree over the meringue without pressing it, so it maintains that characteristic vermicelli shape
- Remove the ring gently and pipe the whipped cream on top
- Do the same for the larger meringue
- Decorate with a crystallized violet flower or pieces of Marron Glace'
- Dust with icing sugar and keep in the fridge until serving
- For a Halloween dessert, you can transform them into ghosts by adding chocolate chips for the eyes
Notes
- To make the meringues, the eggs have to be at room temperature
- The egg white should have no trace of yolk. Therefore, when separating the yolk from the white, use a separate bowl for each egg. If a yolk breaks, you cannot use the egg white.
- It may look strange to you that I am listing white wine vinegar and cornstarch to make meringues, but I can assure you these two ingredients will make a big difference.
- The meringues need not be perfectly shaped as they will be covered.
- Use a vegetable strainer to make the chestnuts puree, do not use a blender, as it will completely change the consistency of the puree.
- For a perfect whipped cream, put the whisker and the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes before you whip it.
- Do not whip the cream for too long. It will become butter.
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