Maltese Imbuljuta tal-qastan - Boiled Chestnuts with Cocoa

This Maltese recipe is a traditionally served after Christmas midnight mass or even as a warm drink on New Year's Eve. The aroma of spices and citrus certainly fills the home with a sense cosiness and homeliness. After cooking, the chestnuts are usually mashed and served warm. In my family we used to add evaporated milk to our cocoa chestnuts, this makes the drink taste even better. Also my parents used to booze it up a bit by adding some whisky!! It also is prepared using dried chestnuts, so if using fresh chestnuts, make sure you adjust the method accordingly. The result is just exquisite and when we recently prepared this recipe it soon triggered nostalgic memories of our childhoods when our mothers used to prepare it for us. Give it a go! You will need...

• 500g dried chestnuts, soaked in water for 24 hours
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• Peel of half an orange
• Peel of half a tangerine or clementine
• Whisky, to taste (optional)
• Evaporated milk, to serve

1. Start by cleaning well the pre-soaked chestnuts from all the brown bits they might have left on them and discarding the water that they were soaked in. 
2. Put the chestnuts in a pot and cover with water. Add the sugar, cocoa, cloves and citrus peel and stir well.
3. Bring the chestnuts to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about an hour or until the chestnuts are soft.
4. When chestnuts are cooked, add the whisky if using and stir again. Remove the citrus peel from the pot and roughly break the chestnuts with a masher. 
5. Serve hot in bowls or mugs equalling the amount of chestnuts and cocoa liquid. Add evaporated milk to taste.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Lebkuchen - German Gingerbread

Lebkuchen translates as gingerbread. Lebkuchen are usually made during Christmas in Germany but hey I felt like doing these this morning and nothing goes better with a good mug of coffee :) Oh the house smells so good this morning. They are very quick and easy to prepare and bake...and eat!!! You can decorate these with almond slivers, cover them with melted dark chocolate or even drizzle with an icing glaze but we like ours plain. Give them a go and I am sure you will bake them again!!! You will need...

• 250g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 85g butter
• 200ml clear honey

How to...

1. Put the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and spices in a bowl and combine.
2. Put the honey and butter in a medium pot and heat slowly until all butter is melted. Add the dry ingredients to the butter/honey mixture and stir well until you get a smooth stiff dough.
3. Put into a small bowl and set aside until cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
5. After the dough has cooled down a bit, make 3cm across balls (about 45g each) and flatten them with your hand. Place the Lebkuchen on a greaseproof paper lined tray and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until risen and brown.
6. Put them on a wire rack to cool down completely. This process will magically turn them into wonderful and delicious delights which crispy on the outside but with a very soft cake-like centre.
7. Serve with coffee or tea.

Enjoy!!

R&A

Christmas Chestnut Balls - Boċċi Tal-Qastan

My parents used to prepare these confections during Christmastime. My brothers and I would sneakily devour them as they were the only source of alcohol we were allowed haha. Give them a go, there are really worth it! You will never stop making them. So the ingredients are...

• 400g fresh Chestnuts
• Peel of one orange
• Peel of one tangerine, clementine or satsuma
• Pinch ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• Water
• Whisky or sherry, to taste
• Plain milk or dark chocolate, to decorate
• Desiccated coconut, to decorate

How to...

1. Start by carefully making a cross shaped incision on each of the flat chestnut sides.  Put the chestnuts into a deep pot and cover with water. Add the sugar, cocoa, citrus peels, cloves and cinnamon. Stir well. Bring to the boil and simmer on medium heat for about 30-35 minutes. 
2. Using a slotted spoon, take out the chestnuts and set aside. Let cool down a bit. Peel the chestnuts, maybe whilst having a cuppa! 
3. Put the peeled chestnuts into a bowl, add the sherry/whisky and mash the mixture up with a masher until you get a smooth consistency.
4. Shape the mashed chestnuts into balls and set aside.
5. Now, melt the chocolate in a glass bowl on top of pan of boiling water.
6. Now using a toothpick, dip the balls into the melted chocolate and then roll into desiccated coconuts.
7. Leave to cool and serve!

Enjoy!!!

R & A