Roasted Chestnut Powder
Our Roasted Chestnut Powder is pale brownish-white and fine, made from the grinding the same high-quality chestnuts we sell whole. Chestnuts can be ground into flour for a gluten-free alternative to wheat flour with a mild, nutty flavor.
Suggested uses
Basic prep
Ready to use. Add as needed.
Storage & handling
Store in a dry, cool place.
Ingredients
Chestnuts. Contains tree nuts.
Chestnuts (Castanea sativa) are the seed of a deciduous tree, growing two or three in a single, burr-covered husk. Chestnuts are among the largest nuts eaten by people, with edible kernels that are much larger than other tree nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, pecans or walnuts.
Once picked from the husk chestnuts can be boiled, steamed, roasted or deep fried and eaten. Chestnuts are also easily dried to preserve them for later. Dried chestnuts can be boiled to rehydrate or ground into a powder and used as a flour or flour substitute.
Species of chestnut tree have been traced back to at least three continents: Africa, Europe and North America, although most of the chestnuts commercially cultivated today are varieties which originated in Mediterranean Europe. Evidence suggests that many prehistoric cultures relied on chestnuts as a food source, often treating them more like starchy vegetables such as potatoes or even a starchy grain like rice.
Chestnuts are low in protein and fat but high in carbohydrates especially when compared to other tree nuts. In addition to their high carbohydrate content, chestnuts also provide vitamins B6, C and E, along with calcium and potassium.
Classic preparations of chestnuts vary by culture but include Japanese kurigohan (steamed chestnut rice) and Korean yaksik (a sweet dish made from glutinous rice cooked with chestnuts, jujube fruits and pine nutes). Perhaps the most familiar to Americans is the use of chestnuts in dressing to celebrate Thanksgiving, or roast fresh chestnuts or glazed chestnuts (marrons glace) in the European tradition.
Dried and ground fine, chestnut powder can be used in the place of wheat flour for a gluten-free alternative. It adds a light, nutty flavor to desserts, cakes, cookies, pasta, pastries and piecrust. The chestnuts used to make this fine powder are roasted to heighten their rich flavor before being dried and ground to a smooth powder.
Classic recipe
Citrusy Chestnut Flour Tart
Thanks to Chestnut Flour this effortless and gluten-free orange and lemon zest-stippled cake is moist and fragrant without being heavy. Finished with Sliced Almonds, it's a Corsican favorite that's redolent of the Mediterranean.
