Sweet Chestnuts

notlongnow_2

Hi, I am making my sister a homemade local hamper for christmas ( as well as other stuff) I have homemade strawberry and some chutneys and chillies. Today I have picked up a bag full of chestnuts and practically had to wade through and fight off the squirells..lol.

I am hoping to make them into some kind of sweet thing and was thinking of covering in chocolate and pretty packaging but I have no idea how to do this. How long will they keep as they are now..ie, raw with shell on? Can I boil,peel and freeze? Can I make them now or will they go off by christmas?

Any other chestnutty sweetie idea gratefully received as my hands are full of chestnut shell spikes and I really dont want these to go to waste.

Thanks.

Pink.

Hi notlongnow,

There are some ideas on this thread that may help:

Sweet Chestnuts

I'll add your thread to that one later to keep the replies together.

Pink

shjo558

Hi,

I loved chestnuts roasted on the edge of a coal fire when I was a kid so I bought some in Tesco today but have no idea how to roast them in the oven.

Does anyone know how long and what temperature please?

:xmastree::xmassign:

Mrs_Money

Hi!
yes I wanted to know this too -Googled it and came up with EHow article which gives all times and temperatures etc - HERE!
Happy eating!

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Or - use a big 800g bean can/coffee tin/baby milk tin. Drill/punch holes around the sides. Fashion a handle from an old wire coathanger. Put on gas burner and roast much as you would on a brazier.

Yummy, smoky chestnuts!

shjo558

Oh excellent - they are in the oven as I type:D. I remember them shooting off the fire like bullets, hope they don't start that carry on in the oven:eek:

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Pierce or slit them, then they won't explode.

ali-t

I haven't read the link but I usually slit them with a cross and then put them in the oven at full heat and some burn, some are rotten and the rest are amazing!

Mags_cat

When I was 11 we moved to a house with no heating at all except for two log burning stoves.

My word, that taught you to get dressed fast on winter mornings...:eek:

BUT - the log burners were a godsend at Christmas - not just for the cheery glow and heat but the one year when all the power failed and Mum cooked Christmas dinner on them (except the turkey which was done in the gas oven of the caravan stood on the drive!). Roast chestnuts on the bars of the log burner were a regular favourite. You knew they were done when they exploded and hit the ceiling

Nicoll

You can also chuck in the microwave for a couple of minutes, put couple of slits in skins, put in a bowl and cover with a piece of wet kitchen roll. Ready to eat in minutes.:D