Monte Bianco Valdostano

Name: Monte Bianco Valdostano
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Valdostana
Ingredients: 500 g peeled cooked chestnuts; 300 ml Whole milk; 75 g caster sugar; 1 item vanilla pod; 15 g Unsweetened cocoa powder; 15 ml Dark rum; 300 ml double cream; 30 g icing sugar; 15 g dark chocolate

A classic Alpine dessert of sieved sweet chestnut vermicelli piled into a mound and capped with snowy whipped cream.

🇮🇹Italy· Aosta Valley

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 45 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 480 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

500 g peeled cooked chestnuts — vacuum-packed or freshly roasted and peeled
300 ml Whole milk — fresh
75 g caster sugar
1 item vanilla pod — split lengthwise
15 g Unsweetened cocoa powder — sifted
15 ml Dark rum — or grappa
300 ml double cream — well chilled
30 g icing sugar — sifted
15 g dark chocolate — for shaving

Equipment

•Saucepan
•Potato ricer or food mill
•Electric hand whisk
•Mixing bowl
•Serving dish

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 480 kcal
fat: 26 g
carbs: 58 g
fibre: 6 g
protein: 5 g
calories: 480 kcal

Instructions

1
Place the chestnuts into a saucepan with the whole milk, caster sugar and the split vanilla pod.
2
Simmer gently over low heat for twenty minutes until the chestnuts are soft and tender.
3
Remove the vanilla pod and drain off excess milk, reserving two tablespoons of the warm liquid.
4
Stir the sifted cocoa powder and dark rum into the warm chestnuts.
5
Mash into a smooth, pliable paste, adding a splash of the reserved milk if needed.
6
Pass the warm chestnut mixture through a potato ricer directly onto a chilled serving plate.
7
Allow the vermicelli strands to fall naturally into a loose, airy mountain shape without pressing.
8
Whip the chilled double cream and icing sugar in a clean bowl until soft peaks form.
9
Spoon the whipped cream over the chestnut mound to resemble a snow-capped peak.
10
Scatter fine dark chocolate shavings over the top and serve immediately.

Chef's tips

Pass the chestnut mixture through the ricer while still slightly warm, as cold paste will stiffen and clog the holes. Never compress the chestnut strands on the plate, because the airy texture is what makes the dessert light.

Ingredient substitutions

vacuum-packed chestnuts → dried chestnuts soaked overnight in cold water and simmered until tender
dark rum → Valdostan grappa or omitted entirely
unsweetened cocoa powder → omitted for a pale, traditional plain chestnut flavour

Storage

Store the assembled dessert covered in the refrigerator for up to twenty-four hours.

Reheating

Serve chilled straight from the refrigerator without reheating.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Pressing down on the chestnut strands, which results in a dense and heavy block instead of light vermicelli.
•Over-whipping the cream until it becomes stiff, grainy and separated rather than soft and pillowy.
•Letting the cooked chestnut purée dry out before extruding, making it difficult to rice smoothly.

Serving suggestions

Serve chilled in individual glass coupes to showcase the dark chestnut and white cream layers.Accompany with a small glass of aromatic Alpine herb liqueur or sweet dessert wine.Pair with delicate hazelnut wafer biscuits on the side.