I love chestnut-filled crepes with chocolate. However until the last few years, making sweetened chestnut purée was an ordeal. It was difficult to find the ready-made variety in a jar or a can. Consequently, it meant roasting or boiling dozens of chestnuts, laboriously peeling them, then ripping the skin under your fingernails trying to remove the inner membrane. Now almost every supermarket sells, vacuum-packed roasted and peeled chestnuts, which are quite acceptable for stuffings and purées.
The nice part of this dessert is that most of it can be made in advance. So just a few minutes of assembly and heating gives you a delicious and impressive hot dessert. Make the crepes up to a day in advance. Simply stack them on a plate with a small section of wax paper between each crepe to keep them from sticking together. Then cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator about an hour before you assemble the dessert. Makes about 12 crepes.
The chestnut puree can also be made in advance. Once cooled, store it covered in the refrigerator. Just be sure to bring it to room temperature or very gently reheat it before using in this recipe. Most recipes call for a whole cup of sugar in the purée. I prefer a less sweet version but adjust to your own taste. It should make about 1 1/2 cups of purée.
The Crepes
Place the ingredients in the above order in a food processor. Process for 15 seconds. Scrape down sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Process again until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and preferably overnight. Brush a 6 ½- to 7-inch iron skillet or crepe pan with vegetable oil. Set the pan over moderately high heat until it just begins to smoke. Fill a ⅓ cup measure with the batter and pour it into the center of the skillet. With your left hand swirl the pan around to make a nice even circle. Cook for about a minute. With a metal spatula, check to see if the underside is nicely browned, and if so flip the crepe. Cook the underside about ½ minute. It will not look as good as the top side, but it doesn’t matter because it will serve as the inside of a folded crepe. Move to a plate and repeat the process, oiling the pan again as necessary. If you are making the crepes ahead of time, place a segment of wax paper between each crepe, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
The Chestnut Purée
In a saucepan, bring the chestnuts, sugar and the water or milk to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 25-35 minutes until chestnuts are very tender and some of the water has evaporated. With a slotted spoon, remove the chestnuts to a food processor, reserving the remaining liquid.
Purée the chetnuts.
Process until smooth. Slowly add some of the remaining syrup processing until you achieve a consistency you like.
Purée the chetnuts.
Add the vanilla. Remove to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate when it has cooled.
The Sauce
You will need 2 ounces grated bittersweet chocolate, 2 tablespoons melted butter, ¼ cup brandy, cognac, or rum, and 1-2 tablespoons of sugar.
Assembly
Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a shallow flameproof baking dish. Spread 2 tablespoons of chestnut purée on the inside of 12 crepes.
Spread chestnut purée on the crepes.
Fold the crepes in half, then quarters into wedge shapes. Place in baking dish, overlapping. Spread the grated chocolate evenly over the crepes. Pour on the melted butter, then sprinkle the sugar.
Ready for the oven.
Place chestnut-filled crepes with chocolate in the oven just until the chocolate is melted. Remove from oven and place over a burner on the lowest heat possible. Warm the cognac in a ladle over another burner. Pour over the crepes, and ignite, averting your face. Bring to the table and when the flame is extinguished, serve 2 or 3 per person on plate.
Anticipate applause as you bring the flaming chestnut-filled crepes with chocolate to the table to serve.
