Chestnuts are a classic Christmas staple, but I bet most of you sing the words “chestnuts roasting on an open fire” without fulfilling the tradition. And we don’t blame you. Chestnuts were not a part of our Christmas routine until this year when we decided to give this syrup a shot. And let us tell you. This syrup is sweet, nutty and full of spice.
Chestnut syrup is also a great gift. A lot of love and labour goes into making it, so it will make your recipients feel truly stoked this Christmas season.
- 1 cup cooked chestnuts
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbs orange zest
- pinch of nutmeg
- 2 oz of whisky
- mason jar
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Time to roast the chestnuts. Use a knife to slice the top of each chestnut shell, cutting into the flesh to prevent them fro exploding in the oven. Here’s a video to show you how to do this by our pal Jamie Oliver.
- Place the chestnuts on a baking sheet, cut side up, and roast for about 25 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the peels curl up.
- Remove the nuts from the oven and let them cool down a bit, but you’ll want to remove the shells and skins while they are still hot.
- To make the chestnut syrup, combine the water, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and orange zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
- Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat, let cool and strain out the zest.
- Add the sugar mixture to a mason jar along with the 1 cup of roasted chestnuts and whisky.
- Transfer to the fridge and let sit for at least five days before using.
We used this syrup to make a Chestnut Old Fashioned, and it was delicious. You can grab the recipe here.