Ingredients:
900g sweet chestnuts
milk, to cover
100g butter, softened
6 eggs, separated
1 whole egg
200g sugar
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp fine breadcrumbs, dried
2 tbsp rum
butter and flour to line the baking pan
For the Chocolate Icing:
125ml double cream
175g plain chocolate (at least 45% cocoa solids), chopped
1 tbsp golden syrup
240ml whipping cream, for topping
Method:
Place the chestnuts in a large pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool a little. Extract the chestnuts from the water a few at a time then and peel off the hard outer shell before rubbing-off the brown inner membrane. When all the chestnuts have been peeled drain the pan and add the chestnuts to it. Add just enough milk to cover then bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the chestnuts are very tender and all the milk has been absorbed (between 15 and 30 minutes).
Press the chestnuts through a fine-meshed sieve to form a smooth purée and set this aside. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites in a clean and dry bowl until they stand in soft peaks. Gradually add 1/3 of the sugar, whisking until the egg white mixture form soft peaks again.
In a separate bowl cream together the egg yolks and the remaining sugar until pale and fluffy. Gently fold in the egg white mixture, alternating with the breadcrumbs then fold in half the chestnut purée.
Butter and flour a 22cm round cake tin and pour the batter into this. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake emerges cleanly. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. When cold cut the cake in half to form two equal rounds. Crack the whole egg into a clean bowl and add the 100g softened butter. Whisk to combine then beat in the 2 tbsp sugar and the rum. Whisk until blended then fold in the remaining chestnuts. Continue beating until thick and smooth then spread this mixture over the bottom half of the cake. Top with the second cake half and press down gently to sandwich the two halves together.
For the icing, add the cream and golden syrup to a pan and scald (heat until small bubbles appear at the sides of the pan). Take off the heat and pour over the chocolate (this should already be in a heat-proof bowl). Stir gently then set aside for 2 minutes. Now mix until the icing is smooth and glossy.
Place a sheet of kitchen foil under the wire rack (to catch any drips) then with the cake still on the rack pour the icing over the cake and use a knife to ensure you evenly cover the top and sides. Allow to stand in a cool place until set (but do not refrigerate). Finally, whip the cream until stiff peaks form then spoon into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe the cream decoratively over the sides of the cake. Cut with a sharp knife and serve in wedges.
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