Cakes and Pastries Recipes - Chestnut and Pear Log with Chocolate Icing Recipe

Ingredients

• 14 oz/400g plain chestnuts

• 2 cups/500 ml milk

• 1 vanilla pod

• 2 tbsp rum

• 2 Williams pears

• 7 oz/200 g butter

• 1/3 lb/150 g sugar

Chocolate glazing:

• 31/20z/100 g chocolate

• 1 1/2 oz/40 g butter

• 2 1/8 oz/60 g confectioners' sugar

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Method:

1. Simmer the chestnuts in milk with the vanilla pod, split in half, for 30 min. Discard the vanilla and stir. Rum through a sieve to obtain a fine and smooth puree. Add the rum. Mix and allow to cool.

2. Peel and core the pears and cut them into 1/4 inch/5mm cubes. Blend the butter to a creamy consistency. Add the sugar. Blend this mixture into the chestnut puree and add the pear pieces. Mix.

3. Reserve 3 1/2oz/100g of this mixture, shape it into a 4cm oblong, and wrap it in cling wrap. Shape a second, 3inch/8 cm oblong, in the same way with the remaining dough. Chill for 2 h.

4. Take the dough out of the fridge. Discard the cling wrap. cut each end of the large oblong roll to have nice clean cuts. Cut the smaller roll in two, on a slant. Place these on the large roll, arranging to resemble branches. Place the log on a grid and keep in a cool place.

5. Prepare the glazing: melt the chocolate, broken into pieces, in a double boiler. Add the butter, cut into pieces. Mix. Remove form the heat and add the sugar. Mix. Dilute with 3 tbsp of water.

6. Cover the log with glazing. Refrigerate.

7. Take the log out of the fridge about 30 min before serving.