Field Guide to Candy: How to Identify and Make Virtually Every Candy Imaginable (33 page)

7.
Remove licorice block from the pan and cut into squares or other shapes using a sharp, well-oiled knife. Wrap individual candies in wax papers to prevent them from losing their shape or sticking to each other.

Yield:

About 60 candies

Storage:

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

General Description:

These classic French Christmas sweetmeats are chestnuts candied over a period of several days and glazed to an alluring sheen
. Traditionally only the finest, largest chestnuts are used. Although the classic method of creating marrons glacés requires an intensive week-long candying process, this recipe reduces the candying time and still produces delicious results.

History:

Chestnuts were first harvested in ancient Europe in the kingdom of Lydia, today part of Turkey. Travelers brought them to the rest of the Mediterranean, and the
Romans planted chestnut trees across Europe. Candied chestnuts were first made in Italy in the 15th century, but France claims to have perfected the complicated glacé technique in the 17th century, during the reign of Louis XIV.
Marron
is the French word for chestnut.

Serving Suggestions:

Marrons glacés are traditionally served at Christmas-time in decorative paper cups. They are often used to decorate cakes.

Candy-Making Notes:

Try to find the largest, best-quality chestnuts. If you buy them skinned, you can skip steps 1 and 2 below. When candying chestnuts, some may become soft and fall apart; they are still delicious and don’t need to be discarded. Puree broken marrons glacés with vanilla and sugar to make
crème de marrons
, a sweet spread.

Recipe:

1.
Place chestnuts in a pot and cover with water.

2.
Bring to a boil over high heat and continue to boil for about 8 minutes.

3.
Remove chestnuts and peel off skins; it is easiest while the nuts are still hot.

4.
In a clean pot, combine sugar, 1 cup water, and vanilla extract, and bring to a boil.

5.
Drop in chestnuts and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.

6.
Remove pot from heat, cover, and let nuts steep overnight.

7.
The next day, bring mixture to a boil and let nuts cook for 1 minute; then remove from heat and let steep overnight again.

8.
Repeat the process twice more.

9.
Preheat oven to about 150°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.