Chestnut flour is in fashion. Made from dehydrated then ground chestnuts (it is estimated that it takes about 4 kilos of chestnuts to make 1 kilo of chestnut flour), this flour has actually been consumed since Antiquity: it was introduced into Europe by the Romans and Greeks in the 1st century AD. JC.
Good to know : in France, there is an AOP (Protected Designation of Origin) on chestnut flour produced in Corsica and Ardèche. On the Isle of Beauty, chestnut flour is also used in the composition of many traditional dishes – such as pulenda.
Chestnut flour can be cooked sweet or savory
Tasty, excellent for health and relatively low in calories, chestnut flour lends itself to both sweet and savory preparations. In pastry, 30% to 50% of the total quantity of flour indicated is replaced by chestnut flour to bring a sweet taste to cakes, breads, pancakes and biscuits.
In the savory version, chestnut flour thickens sauces and gives a little youthful touch to our traditional béchamel… A little pro tip: because it is naturally denser than wheat flour, chestnut must be sifted before use to avoid the formation of lumps.
Chestnut flour can be bought in supermarkets or organic groceries. Warning: it remains quite expensive since it costs on average 11 euros for 500 g. Like “classic” flour, it can be kept in an airtight closed container (glass jar type), placed away from humidity and heat.
Read also :
- Horse chestnuts and chestnuts: watch out for poisoning!
- Chestnuts: how to make children love them?
- Vegetable drinks, a good alternative to milk?
