Czech Republic Comfort Food: Chestnut Cake With Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting

by DerdriuMarriner

Chestnut Cake with Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting is a comfort food recipe that deliciously celebrates the autumnal harvest of chestnuts in the Czech Republic.

Chestnut Cake (dort kaštanový) with Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting (čokoládová šlehaná smetana) conveys the comfortable image which nature enjoys in the Czech Republic.

Chestnuts descend in autumn from chestnut trees to be gathered and consumed in cherished recipes, all of which qualify as comfort food.

Essential ingredient for chestnut cake: chestnuts

Buais, Basse-Normandie, northwestern France
Buais, Basse-Normandie, northwestern France

1. Chestnut cake (dort kaštanový)

Prep time: 10 minutes -- Total time: 110 minutes (1 hour 50 minutes)

After baking cake is cooled in refrigerator for 10 minutes.

 

Ingredients for 8 servings

Depending upon serving size, cake yields 8 or more servings.

Ingredients

 

1 vanilla bean

1 pound chestnuts, shelled and peeled

2 cups milk

6 Tablespoons butter, room temperature

  • Note:  Allow to soften in large mixing bowl to be used for preparing cake
  • Note:  Properly softened butter offers no resistance to slicing by a knife
  • Note:  Over-softened butter is oily and does not cream well

6 eggs, separated

  • Note:  Place egg whites in small mixing bowl

1 cup sugar

1 cup sliced almonds

 

Preparation

 

1. Preheat oven to 325 °F (162.7 °C; gas mark 3).

  • Scrape seeds from vanilla bean and combine in pan with chestnuts and milk over medium heat.
  • Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring regularly, until chestnuts soften, about 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Note:  I do not discard the vanilla bean pod; I include it in the simmer as well as in the purée in the next step.

2. Transfer chestnuts, milk, and vanilla to a blender and purée until completely blended.

  • Transfer purée to small bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

3. Add egg yolks and sugar to softened butter in its large mixing bowl; cream completely.

4. Remove plastic wrap from purée and combine, along with sliced almonds, with creamed butter to form cake batter.

5. In their small mixing bowl, beat egg whites on medium-high speed until they form stiff peaks.

  • Fold stiffened egg whites into cake batter.

6. Pour into two non-stick springform pan and smooth top.

  • Bake for 60 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool.

7. When cool:

  • Spread 1/3 of Chocolate Whipped Cream onto top of bottom layer of cake.
  • Then gently lower second cake layer on top of bottom layer and frost its top and the sides with remaining Chocolate Whipped Cream.
  • Cake may be refrigerated for a range of 10 minutes to 4 hours.
  • Allow for removing from refrigerate in order to bring to room temperature before serving.

 

Yield: 8+ servings

 

warm, autumnal coloration and appeal of chestnut cake (dort kaštanový)

unadorned or adorned with frosting, still exuding comfortable tastefulness
chestnut cake
chestnut cake

2. Chocolate whipped cream frosting (čokoládová šlehaná smetana)

Ingredients

 

2 cups heavy cream

4 Tablespoons sifted confectioners' sugar

2 ounces grated bittersweet chocolate

 

Preparation

 

1. Into a chilled bowl, with chilled beater, pour heavy cream and whip until cream forms rounded peaks.

2. Fold in confectioners' sugar and chocolate gratings.

 

Grated chocolate: great frosting for chestnut cake

grated dark chocolate
grated dark chocolate

Acknowledgment

 

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet. 

 

Image Credits

 

Buais, Basse-Normandie, northwestern France: William Warby (wwarby), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/wwarby/5109498935/

chestnut cake: stu_spivack, CC BY SA 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/stuart_spivack/2475418512/

grated dark chocolate: Gail (thepinkpeppercorn), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/gail_thepinkpeppercorn/3159279052/

Malá Strana, Prague, Hlavni mesto Praha: Petr Dosek (pedrosek), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/pedrosek/15237179945/

 

Checkers with wild chestnuts!

Malá Strana, Prague, Hlavni mesto Praha
Malá Strana, Prague, Hlavni mesto Praha
the end which is also the beginning
the end which is also the beginning

The Czechoslovak Cookbook by Joza Břízová ~ Available via Amazon

In Czechoslovakia, a country known for fine cooks, a copy of Varime Zdrave Chutne a Hospodarne graces nearly every kitchen. Now this best-selling Czechoslovak cookbook has been adapted for American use.
Czech cuisine

Chocolate (Theobromine) Molecule: black t-shirt ~ Available via AllPosters

Chocolate (Theobromine) Molecule
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Me and my purrfectly purrfect Maine coon kittycat, Augusta "Gusty" Sunshine

Gusty and I thank you for reading this article and hope that our product selection interests you; Gusty Gus receives favorite treats from my commissions.
DerdriuMarriner, All Rights Reserved
DerdriuMarriner, All Rights Reserved
Updated: 10/01/2024, DerdriuMarriner
 
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DerdriuMarriner on 03/23/2017

katiem2, I have to settle these days for making the recipe with the nuts from the Chinese chestnut in the south yard. It's still delicious even though I can tell the difference when made with American or European chestnuts.

katiem2 on 03/19/2017

My daughter gave your czech chestnut cake a go and was pleased with the results.. Thanks for the adventure into a new culinary experience.

DerdriuMarriner on 02/07/2017

Luis Obrien, Everything about Czech-style chestnut cake with chocolate and whipped cream frosting is so delicious that it's a regular for me once the chestnuts start falling in the south yard! I use my family recipe, which goes back to generations to when there were still American chestnut trees, before the blight on lowland and root rot on highland species, and is very close to that in The Czechoslovak Cookbook mentioned above and available through Amazon.

luisobrien on 02/07/2017

It looks delicious. I wish to try this when possible.

DerdriuMarriner on 07/01/2015

blackspanielgallery, It's delicious! Czech recipes can be counted on for tasty foods that are easy on the eyes and good for the figure and health. The Czechoslovak Cookbook is an excellent resource for any kitchen since all of recipes are authentic, easy to follow, and popular to serve.

blackspanielgallery on 06/30/2015

This looks interesting.

DerdriuMarriner on 05/05/2015

candy47, Me, too, I value this recipe for the same reasons: rich but not too sweet.
It's definitely a keeper. Everyone who has tried this recipe has loved it.

candy47 on 04/28/2015

This is my kind of dessert, rich but not sweet! It's a keeper for me. Thanks!

DerdriuMarriner on 11/21/2014

MBC, This is a long-time favorite with family and friends. It's easy to make, and it's even more delicious than it looks!

MBC on 11/20/2014

Looks delicious! Think I'll give it a try.


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