Mont Blanc — chestnut-cream dessert

i. Origin & history

Mont-Blanc dates to at least the 17th century in Italian and French cookbooks (under different names; Monte Bianco in Italian) and was codified in its current form by Parisian patissiers in the late 19th century. Angelina on the Rue de Rivoli is the most famous shop for it.

ii. Ingredients

Makes 6 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust

• 3 egg whites
• 150 g caster sugar
• Pinch salt
• 500 g sweetened chestnut purée (crème de marrons)
• 250 g chestnut paste (pâte de marrons)
• 60 ml dark rum
• 300 ml double cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Icing sugar to finish

iii. Method

1. Heat oven to 110 °C. Whip whites with salt to soft peaks; add sugar gradually; whip to glossy stiff peaks.
2. Pipe 6 round meringue discs on a lined tray. Bake 90 min until dry and crisp. Cool.
3. Beat chestnut purée, paste and rum to a smooth mass.
4. Whip cream with icing sugar and vanilla to firm peaks.
5. On each meringue, mound a generous dome of cream. Press the chestnut mixture through a vermicelli-press (or a piping bag with a small star tip) to cover the cream in long, thin strands.
6. Dust generously with icing sugar.

iv. Tips & common mistakes

• Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
• Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
• Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.

v. Variations

Angelina Mont-Blanc is the canonical Parisian version. Modern minimalist Mont-Blanc uses one small meringue and a tower of chestnut. Chocolate Mont-Blanc uses chocolate cream instead of plain.

vii. More from French

• Dacquoise — French almond meringue layer cake
• Paris-Brest — praline cream choux ring
• Gateau Saint-Honoré — French patisserie classic
• Religieuse — stacked choux nun pastry
• Hazelnut Mousse — praline mousse
• Baked Alaska — ice cream in meringue