📋 Mont Blanc Dessert

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.

Course Desserts

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Mini chestnuts pavlova, Mont Blanc Desserts, Monte Bianco dessert

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 1 20

Total Time 2

Servings pastries

Calories 191kcal

Author Laura Tobin

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

US Customary - Metric

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 pan
1 lb Boiled and peeled chestnuts
Add the milk, the sugar and the vanilla pod cut into two
2 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

Video

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.

Nutrition