Chesnut and vanilla jam by Christine Ferber

[fanny_the_fairy]

I am having a 'jam weekend' as i call it.

I planned to do three jams from my newest cookbook: Mes confitures, Chritine Ferber.

I started with the Chesnut and vanilla jam. I first thought it was supposed to be like a spread but after having read the recipe twice, i notice Christine doesn't call for a food mill. She just say 'crush any big bits with a wooden spoon'.

I find it quite original - chunky creme de marron.

I know i could use a mill if desired, but really want to make sure the jam is supposed to be 'chunky' and not smooth (to tell the truth i haven't a food mill in my tiny student kitchen and like the fact that this jam goes off the path!).

I have the french version of the book and wondered if it was different in the english version.

And by the way, did any of you tried this recipe?

I am also planning to make the potimarron and vanilla jam and the red tomato and vanilla jam.

Very vanilla!

Will tell you about the results tomorrow when finished.

xoxo

fanny

[fanny_the_fairy]

So i just called Christine Ferber and though she wasn't here today, a nice lady answered me: it is indeed creme de marron, meaning it needs to be puréed!

Sorry for this useless thread!

Edited October 14, 2006 by fanny_the_fairy (log)

[etalanian]

Not useless at all, Fanny! As long as you give us the results from your very vanilla experience.

Eileen

edited for typo by eileen

Edited October 14, 2006 by etalanian (log)

[cookman]

I'll be interested to hear what you think. My experience with the cookbook has been that all of the recipes that I have tried have been overly sweet.

[lperry]

You may want to look through this thread.

It is something of a Christine Ferber appreciation thread.

-L

[fanny_the_fairy]

I'll be interested to hear what you think. My experience with the cookbook has been that all of the recipes that I have tried have been overly sweet.

←

While making the chestnut and vanilla jam i couldn't restrain myself not to taste. It is very sweet indeed.

Though as the chesnuts decided they would not cook (after 20 minutes) and as i was scared of the syrup turning into caramel, i pushed the chesnuts through a sieve, kept the liquid/paste and cooked the chestnut bits in about 400ml of water (i only used 450g of chestnut at the beginning) until thick. Then i pushed that mixture through a sieve and kept the paste, which i added to the first paste (wow i'm not being very clear here! sorry).

So basically i didn't follow the recipe except for the ingredients (although i added 400ml).

And the finished result is smooth and sweet (just a bit too much on the sweet side) - just as creme de marron should be.

I love the nutty aftertaste that industrial creme de marron hasn't.

Will post some pictures as soon as possible.

Edited October 14, 2006 by fanny_the_fairy (log)

[ludja]

So i just called Christine Ferber and though she wasn't here today, a nice lady answered me: it is indeed creme de marron, meaning it needs to be puréed!

Sorry for this useless thread!

←

I'd be interested to hear your results as well. This recipe has been on my list for awhile. Do you have pre-peeled chestnuts are you starting with the shelled beasts?

The red tomato and vanilla jam sounds very interesting as well.

Good luck with your weekend of jam making!

[fanny_the_fairy]

So i just called Christine Ferber and though she wasn't here today, a nice lady answered me: it is indeed creme de marron, meaning it needs to be puréed!

Sorry for this useless thread!

←

I'd be interested to hear your results as well. This recipe has been on my list for awhile. Do you have pre-peeled chestnuts are you starting with the shelled beasts?

The red tomato and vanilla jam sounds very interesting as well.

Good luck with your weekend of jam making!

←

Hi Ludja,

i started with whole chestnuts.

It took a lot of time to shell them and a lot of courage too. My thumbs are now burnt and sore, but i can hopefully enjoy this delicious creme de marron!

I think i will submit a modified recipe (using less sugar) and post on foodbeam about this experience.

You may want to look through this thread.

It is something of a Christine Ferber appreciation thread.

-L

←

Thanks L,

i will have a look!

Edited October 14, 2006 by fanny_the_fairy (log)

[mukki]

I'll be interested to hear what you think. My experience with the cookbook has been that all of the recipes that I have tried have been overly sweet.

←

Interesting that you say this. I usually reduce the sugar a wee bit when I use her recipes and have enjoyed the results very much. I bought several jars of Ferber's in Paris last year and I found them too sweet and, if I may say so, not as good as my results.

Edited October 14, 2006 by mukki (log)

[fanny_the_fairy]

I am making the tomato and vanilla jam at the moment and it looks so tempting. I have to let the mixture rest overnight... and the least i can say is that it's going to be difficult.

I tasted it and it is delcious.

I also reduced the sugar to 800g instead of 900g (for 1100g of peeled/cored tomatoes) but it's still a bit too sweet (well this won't stop me eating the whole jar in a minute!!!)

Edited October 14, 2006 by fanny_the_fairy (log)

[McAuliflower]

I am making the tomato and vanilla jam at the moment and it looks so tempting. I have to let the mixture rest overnight... and the least i can say is that it's going to be difficult.

I tasted it and it is delcious.

I also reduced the sugar to 800g instead of 900g (for 1100g of peeled/cored tomatoes) but it's still a bit too sweet (well this won't stop me eating the whole jar in a minute!!!)

←

Good to see you on eGullet Fanny! This thread is a wonderful example of show-n-tell, plus its inspiring.

I'm enjoying imagining your tomato vanilla jam with some nice smooth chevre.

cheers

[fanny_the_fairy]

The chesnut and vanilla spread is excellent.

It is not oversly sweet (but then i added some more water - see note above).

The texture is perfect - smooth and grainy, but in a good way.

I will make it again even if my thumbs suffered a lot during the peeling-pipping-hot-chestnuts phase!

Here are two picture: the spread in its can and on a spoon (sorry for the bad picture - photographing jam is something i have to learn!)

Edited October 15, 2006 by fanny_the_fairy (log)

[Pam R]

Welcome to eGullet Fanny!

I will make it again even if my thumbs suffered a lot during the peeling-pipping-hot-chestnuts phase!

I've never used chestnuts before. But I'm working on a chestnut soup right now, so I've been peeling them this weekend myself. The easiest way I've found to do them is to cut a little 'x' into the tip of each one, then add to boiling water for 10 minutes. Drained, if peeled immediately they are easy to peel. If not so immediately, they are not soft enough to cut into 1/4's and then they pop right out of the shell. Once I realized how easy it was to cut them and then peel them, I regretted spending the time on the piping hot ones!

eta: I meant to tell you that the jam looks great!