I imagine most of my readers aren’t familiar with Castagnaccio. I certainly wasn’t until a couple of years ago. It’s a traditional Italian dessert/snack, common in Liguria and Tuscany. It’s made from chestnut flour and olive oil and has no raising agents so is dense and rich, rather than fluffy like the cakes you’re probably used to. It’s also very subtly sweet with most of the sweetness coming from the nuts and dried fruit added to it.
I was introduced to Castagnaccio by a lovely friend, Giovanni: a charming seventy-something year old Italian who lives very near our family home. As a retired psychologist he spends most of his time reading and cooking, and his great joy is feeding people delicious food! He started bringing us little food parcels- coffee-soaked dates and Italian chocolate cake, a divine Caponata along with a white bean dish (fagioli all’uccelletto), sesame snaps, crunchy cookies (whose name I’ve forgotten), and of course Castagnaccio. I fell in love with this naturally-vegan treat and wanted to learn to make it myself.
With being rather busy studying for my finals earlier this year I didn’t have a lot of time for cooking (Giovanni provided me with snacks hand-delivered to my university pigeon hole!) but took a couple of welcome study breaks to spend some time with my friend and cook with him at his house. As a typical Italian, his approach to cooking is rather laid-back, sort of a “little of this, a little of that” kind of affair. I did make a mental note of everything though and now have the details perfected so I can pass the recipe on to you.
I decided to make two small cakes this time- one the traditional way with rosemary, walnuts and raisins, and one my own way replacing the walnuts and raisins with hazelnuts and chocolate chips.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 C Chestnut flour
- 1 Tbsp Coconut sugar (or other granulated sweetener)
- Pinch of salt
- 1-1/2 C Water
- 2 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 C Raisins OR Chocolate chips
- 1/4 C Walnuts OR Toasted, peeled hazelnuts (I made two small ones so used half the amounts of dried fruit and nuts in each)
- 1 Large sprig of rosemary, leaves removed from stem
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C/400F, lightly oil the edges of a pie dish (or 2 small ones)
- Whisk together chestnut flour, sugar, salt and water until smooth and runny.
- Add the olive oil to the prepared dish/dishes and place in the oven to warm up for a minute. Remove from oven, pour in the Castagnaccio batter, swirl the olive oil through the mixture and scatter with the dried fruit/choc chips, nuts and rosemary. Return to oven and cook for 15-25 minutes until the surface is dry and cracked. Cooking time will depend on the size of dish you used.
- Enjoy warm or cold. I like it as is but it’s sometimes served with ricotta and a drizzle of honey, so for a vegan version you could try non-dairy yogurt or cashew cream, and a drizzle of maple syrup or agave nectar.
Now, I know chestnut flour isn’t exactly something you see everywhere but it can sometimes by found in health food stores amongst the other gluten-free flours.
If you’re in the UK, you can also order it from Goodness Direct, where I tend to buy a lot of my flours, grains, beans, nuts etc.
If you’re elsewhere you can buy it through Amazon.
I’ve used it in the crust of my Herby Courgette Galette for a pleasant nutty flavour and think it would make a batch of rather special cookies. I also have a very vivid memory of a delicious chocolate brownie I had in a restaurant in Paris, which I was told was made with chestnut flour too. Lots of room for experimentation!
Have you had Castagnaccio before? Or other dishes made using chestnut flour?
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This cake sounds absolutely wonderful. I like the idea of something that isn’t overly sweet, and also like denser cakes. I’ve never done anything with chestnut flour, and am not sure I’ve ever eaten chestnuts (might have once). So this would definitely be an adventure - one I’m up for. :-0
This does sound perfect for you! I hope you get to try it.
I am almost surprised to say that I have had this cake - a friend of mine tasted it at her friend’s and made it when she came to my place last year - it is something I have swithered about making - the rosemary was a bit much for me but I quite fancy your walnut and choc chip version (though I am bit embarassed to say how long I have had chestnut flour and not used it)
You could skip the rosemary altogether if you weren’t keen or chop it finely. If you do make it I would test the chestnut flour first in case it’s gone rancid as nut flours have a tendency to do so if kept for a long time.
I have kept it in the fridge but even still am afraid to try it because it is rather old
Try it with a teaspoon first- I’m sure you’ll be able to tell if it’s bad!
Have you ever used canned unsweetened chestnut puree? I have rather a lot of that to hand, and no chestnut flour, I am wondering if the flour plus water comes out at a similar consistency and could be subbed?
I haven’t used chestnut purée for this before I’m afraid and am not sure it would be ideal. I think you’d need to add a flour of some kind too as the mixture resembles a pancake batter of sorts.
I’d probably make a chocolate chestnut cake or mousse with the canned purée instead!
I have made chocolate cake with chestnut puree that I enjoyed (but was rather soft) - my favourite use for chestnut puree was in soup with parsnip or other root veg and perhaps a touch of orange
I love the sound of the soup. I’ll have to try that. I’m thinking Castagnaccio would also be good with a little orange zest too…
Love the look of this cake! I will definitely be making it as soon as I get my hands on some chestnut flour! Thanks Emma!
If you ask nicely in La Cucina (St.Clements) they might give you some! Giovanni’s friends with the guys there and apparently they keep him supplied!
Ooh I know where that is! But what would I say?
Haha…I’m not sure. Be bold! What’s the worst that could happen?
I love it! In my home town it’s even more simple than this one, usually chestnut flour, sweetener and vanilla.
Fantastic! Where are you from Simona? Do you know of any other uses for chestnut flour?
Gorgeous cake Emma!
It’s rather different but lovely I think
I LOVE chestnuts. I haven’t eaten nearly enough of them this season; that shall be remedied this weekend. I was going to make chocolate chestnut truffles this weekend and I have literally been lookng forward to it all week, haha.
Chocolate and chestnuts are one of those perfect duos aren’t they? The truffles sound fantastic. We always seem to have a few cans of chestnut purée hanging around in cupboards at home but it only rarely gets used.
I did make a pretty delicious chocolate chestnut log last year though…I wish I’d written down the recipe
I love the sound of this, the flavours are so different- like the fact it has rosemary in it too! The also like the story behind it, maybe I just like stories 😉
It is rather different and I know not everyone’s keen on it but I certainly am!
Giovanni is a real sweetie.
Glad you liked the story
Sorry you’re week has been blah - but hopefully it’s looking up! This is a new to me dish, but looks Delish!
Thank you, it’s definitely improved now it’s the weekend 😀
I’ve fallen in love with this too, just looking at it! I hope it lifted your week
Thanks Kari, I’m feeling much more chirpy now
oh my gosh hone this looks and sounds utterly incredible. Thank you for sharing, i see this taking a rather large centre stage at my festive table xxx
I don’t like Christmas cake so I can see it being a good alternative for those afternoon nibbles over Christmas!
Amazing! This is on my shortlist for Christmas dessert! 😀
Fab Poppy! I just wrote to another reader that I think it would be good instead of Christmas cake for those who don’t like it (me!).
It definitely would! I love Christmas cake and pudding but my other half doesn’t and seeing as it’s just us two on Christmas day I’ve been looking for inspiration to make something we’ll both enjoy and I can get my Christmas pud fix on Christmas eve with family! 😀
Sounds perfect then!
This looks delicious and sounds like something I would enjoy! I like desserts that hug the line between certain things like cake and cookie or cake and custard. It’s also very festive looking with all the dried fruit and nuts. Thanks for sharing!
Glad you like the look of it. I think it’s rather special and good for any time of the day really!
I’ve seen quite a few recipes using chestnut flour recently, taking it as a sign I need to buy some! That looks wonderful, I’ve just been reading my Nigella cook books and this looks like a (much healthier) version of something she would make!
You need to send some of those recipes my way Laura. I never seem to see recipes using it. Haha, yes Nigella’s recipes are usually pretty indulgent! We have a few of her books at home.
This is gorgeous Emma! It seems like a wonderful holiday dessert.
Thanks Anna. It’s pretty healthy too!
Hi Emma, your castagnaccio looks delicious, and that’s such a nice story behind your recipe:)
Thanks Julia- Giovanni is such a sweetie!
You are right, I wasn’t familiar with this. What a fantastic and beautifully looking recipe.
Thanks Mihl- it’s a little different to the norm but I really like it.
Wow, I’ve not heard of this before but it sounds super interesting!
I didn’t think many people would-often these kind of traditions don’t make it out of their own country.
That’s what I love about having a best friend who’s from Barcelona - she’s taught me so many yummy dishes!
I love anything with chestnuts and I’ve wanted to make a castagnaccio for a very long time. Now I’ve got a vegan recipe no more excuses!
What a lovely story, Giovanni is so sweet! I’ve never had Castagnaccio, Ive probably seen seen them before, but never knew they were naturally vegan. I imagine the cake tastes so good with a bit of nuts, raisins/chocolate chip and rosemary in addition a perfect holiday sweet, right?! I’ve never made anything with chestnut flour and I don’t think I’ve seen it at Whole Foods either!
It is SO good and Giovanni is so sweet!
Hmmm strange that Whole Foods doesn’t carry it. I would have thought they would. Maybe try Dean & Deluca if you have one near you?
Hi emma! i love chesnut so much, mainly chesnut cake, but i hadn’t have a good vegan recipe. i made this cake 5 or 6 times, and it’s amazing
thank you for sharing!
That’s wonderful to hear! And thank you for reminding me of this recipe. I’d somehow completely forgotten about it!
I’m wondering if this cake gets better with time as many cakes do. Do you find it loses something after a couple days or does it improve? Thanks!
Hi Sharon, thanks for commenting! Unfortunately this isn’t really one of those cakes - I think it’s best fresh. Hope you enjoy it!