The perfect chestnuts

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 300 g chestnuts
• some salt

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

like from the Christmas market

First, wash the chestnuts and place them in cold water for 20-30 minutes. This will make it easier to remove the shells later. Then, make two cuts in each chestnut: a ring all the way around the “belly,” and then a cross-sectional cut perpendicular to the first cut on the curved side. Turn on the oven and preheat to 250°C (480°F) with fan. Then cook the chestnuts in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Add plenty of salt for a special flavor. I use a kettle for this, which turns itself off once the water boils. The chestnuts then remain in the hot water for the rest of the time without turning the kettle back on. After 10 minutes, drain the water from the kettle and place the chestnuts directly on the baking sheet in the now preheated oven. The chestnuts can still be quite wet. Every few minutes, spray the chestnuts with water using a spray bottle (e.g., one used for plants). This also helps the shells come off more easily. Leave the chestnuts in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Then remove the chestnuts from the oven tray and cover them with a damp kitchen towel. After 1-2 minutes, the shells will have cooled enough to be opened by hand and eaten. If you’ve done everything correctly, the shell and lower shell will almost fall off on their own. I do this by pressing the shell together at the top and bottom of the chestnut. The ring cut then simply crumbles away. Note: At the recommended 250°C in the oven, the chestnuts will be nice and crispy, just like at the Christmas market. If you prefer them a little softer, you can also try 200°C. However, this may make the chestnuts more difficult to peel. 294 kcal per serving.