During autumn, the leaves fall ... and so do the chestnuts! Spending an afternoon collecting them in the forest is a wonderful way Italians get in touch with nature and do something unique and relaxing. With your precious pickings at home, you can make a variety of recipes, including an original liqueur we’ve decided to call “castagnello.” So, how is it made? We’re here to show you!
It isn’t fall in Italy without chestnuts
Chestnut liqueur is the perfect way to finish off an autumnal Italian dinner: one because it’s also a digestivo, and two because it’s not fall if there are no chestnuts on the table, right? With Thanksgiving upon us and then Christmas around the corner, this is the right time to make this liqueur as a gift for friends!
There are two recipes: a more indulgent, creamy variety and a lighter version. Today we’re sharing both, but we can already imagine which one you’ll go for.
The creamy, indulgent chestnut liqueur
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. chestnuts, 2 cups sugar, 1 qt. liquor, 2 cups water
Method
Boil the chestnuts until they become soft, then let them cool and peel them. Immerse them in the liquor and let them macerate while covered tightly for about 20 days. After this period, prepare a syrup by dissolving the sugar in boiling water. Let it cool, then add it to the filtered liquor. Either all or part of the chestnuts can be pureed and added to the liqueur to make it very creamy.
The classic, lightweight chestnut liqueur
To keep the liqueur transparent and amber-colored, don’t add any puréed chestnuts. Filter the liqueur well with a thinly woven cheesecloth, then add in the syrup.