Sugar-free and gluten-free chestnut mousse cake
In the heart of chestnut season, it's the perfect time to enjoy them in every way possible. Looking beyond those unforgettable street cones of roasted chestnuts, there's a whole world of recipes where they stand out in their own right, not just as a complement but as the main ingredient, like in this tempting mousse cake, which could very well be the surprise dessert of this Christmas.
Ingredients · Servings 8
- 150g of sugar-free and gluten-free biscuits
- 60g of butter or margarine
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 350g of chestnuts
- 200g of cream for whipping
- 7g of powdered gelatin
- 200ml of water
- 1 splash of chestnut liqueur
- 50g of xylitol
- 50g of erythritol
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla
- Natural unsweetened cocoa powder
Method · 3 h
- To prepare the base of the cake, crush the cookies and add the melted butter and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Mix well and cover the base of the mold, which you will have previously lined with baking paper. To make it compact, press down with a glass. Put it in the refrigerator to harden while you prepare the filling.
- Make a cut in the curved part of the chestnuts and microwave them in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes at maximum power. The time will depend on the power of your oven and the size of the chestnuts. Be careful when peeling them because they will burn you; you have to do it while they are still hot so that the skin comes off easily.
- Put 200ml of water with the sugar, a pinch of salt and the cinnamon stick over high heat. When it comes to a boil, lower the heat and add the chestnuts. Stir with a spoon so that they are coated in syrup on all sides and let them cook covered until soft. If they start to dry out, add a splash more water.
- Blend the chestnuts with 200ml of water and a splash of liqueur until you have a smooth, not-too-thick purée. Add a little more water if necessary, then set aside. Now, gently heat 50g of cream in a saucepan and add the gelatin (which has been softened in 3 tablespoons of cold water), a tablespoon of vanilla extract, a teaspoon of cinnamon, and the chestnut purée. Stir with a spatula until everything is well combined and let it cool slightly.
- Whip the remaining cream until it forms soft peaks, but not stiff peaks. Gently fold the chestnut cream into the cream using a spatula and gentle, folding motions until well combined. Set aside some of this mixture to decorate the cake. Pour the remaining mousse into the mold with the biscuit base. Tap the mold on the counter to remove any air bubbles and smooth the surface with a spatula. To ensure easy unmolding, line the sides of the mold with baking paper or acetate strips.
- Put it in the fridge for 30 minutes, it will have hardened a little by now, take it out and decorate to your liking with the reserved cream and a piping bag, return it to the fridge for at least a couple of hours to firm up, before serving sprinkle the entire surface of the cake with cocoa powder.
