Recipe - Buche De Marrons Au Chocolat

4 pound Chestnuts OR
2 pound Chestnuts, canned, whole,
unsweetened, drained OR
4 cup Chestnuts, pureed, canned,
unsweetened
One fourth cup Sugar, superfine
One half cup Butter, unsalted, melted
3 tablespoon Calvados OR
3 tablespoon Applejack OR
3 tablespoon Cognac
One half teaspoon Vanilla
8 ounce Chocolate, semisweet,
melted, cooled,
(preferably Maillard)

GARNISHES
1 cup Cream, whipping
1 teaspoon Sugar
One half teaspoon Vanilla
Candied violets
1 ounce Chocolate, semisweet,
melted, cooled
1 tablespoon Cocoa, unsweetened

If you are using fresh chestnuts, cut an X on the flat side of
each chestnut. Place the chestnuts in a saucepan, cover with cold
water and bring to boil.

Cover and boil gently until tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and let it stand for 15 minutes.

Shell the chestnuts, removing both the hard outer shell and the
inner brown skin.

If you're using canned chestnuts, simply drain.

Reserve 3 whole chestnuts for garnish.

Puree chestnuts in a processor until very smooth.

Add Three fourths cup of very finely powdered sugar, butter, Calvados and
One half teaspoon vanilla. Puree again until very smooth and fluffy.

Add 8 ounces of melted chocolate and puree until very smooth.

Line a 4 cup round logshaped mold or loaf pan with plastic wrap,
pressing it down until smooth.

Pour in the chestnutchocolate mixture and tamp the mold to
eliminate any air bubbles. Smooth over the surface, and cover with
plastic wrap.

Refrigerate overnight.

To Garnish:
===========

Unmold log on serving plate, and carefully remove the plastic
wrap.

Whip the cream with 1 teaspoon of sugar and One half teaspoon of
vanilla until stiff.

Spread the cream evenly over all sides of the log, forming a
barklike ridge here and there with a spatula or decorating comb.

Drizzle thin lines of chocolate down the length of the log, using
a paper pastry cone or fork.

Roll the 3 reserved chestnuts in cocoa and arrange on the log
lengthwise. Garnish with candied violets and refrigerate until
serving.

This log may be refrigerated for up to one week.

Source: New York's Master Chefs, Bon Appetit Magazine
: Written by Richard Sax, Photographs by Nancy McFarland
: The Knapp Press, Los Angeles, 1985

Chef: Andree Abramoff, Andree's Mediterranean Restaurant, New York

File ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/mmgcny.zip