[Sca-cooks] Chestnuts

[Druighad at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/23/01 6:15:51 PM Central Daylight Time,
phoenissa at netscape.net writes:

<< I'm using a recipe from an very old edition of the Joy of Cooking, and the
process doesn't look too difficult, but very time-consuming.  But it's my
first time with candy-making, and I'm a bit nervous as to how it will come
out.  Any advice to offer a novice confectioner? :-) >>

First get yourself a very heavy-duty candy thermometer. Don't settle for
something cheap. They tend to break and get mercury all over everything. Not
good. Second, keep a cold water bath handy for your hands. Sugar burns, even
from small splatters or drips can get nasty quick. Also a sheet pan with
parchment or waxed paper with be a good place to rest the finished candies.
Depending on how long you need to keep the chestnuts in the jrs of syrup,
LABEL them and keep them in plain view. Don't relugate them to a shelf
somewhere. The nuts will end up getting overly soft and mushy. And WAY too
sweet! If you don't want cognac, which will decrease the sweetness and help
the nuts to break down and absorb the sugar, maybe a small bottle of nut-
flavored liqour (Frangelico is hazelnuts, but there is probably somehting
else out there you could use..) to help keep the flavor.

A good start I think, and good luck! If you think they turn out well, would
you be interested in putting them in to the treat/cookie/ goody exchange? I'd
like to try them.

Finnebhir