Recipe: Margaret Clark’s Guenoc Winery Chocolate Chestnut Gateau

Butter

2 cups crumbled canned chestnut puree

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup brandy

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/2 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 eggs, well beaten

2 tablespoons flour

Honey Sauce

Line bottom of 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Butter pan sides and parchment paper.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in small saucepan. Slowly incorporate well into chestnut puree in medium bowl. Add honey, brandy and cream and continue mixing until thoroughly blended.

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water. When melted, but only lukewarm, add 1/2 at time to chestnut mixture, mixing well at low speed. Add eggs and blend well, still at low speed. Stir in flour, mixing well.

Pour into prepared pan and bake at 300 degrees 35 minutes or until just set in center. Remove from oven and cool completely in pan on rack.Unmold onto plate just before serving. Serve with Honey Sauce. Makes 16 servings.

Note: If chestnut puree is not available, 1 (8 3/4-ounce) can chestnut spread (sweetened) may be substituted for 2 cups puree and 1/4 cup honey.

Honey Sauce

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons honey

3 eggs yolks, well beaten

1 teaspoon orange flower water

Warm milk over medium heat until small bubbles appear around edge. Whisk honey into egg yolks, then continuing to whisk, add milk slowly until throughly mixed.

Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until slightly thickened. Do not boil. Cooked sauce should coat spoon.

Remove from heat and strain into small bowl. Stir in orange flower water, cover and chill thoroughly before serving (sauce will thicken somewhat during cooling). Makes about 1 1/3 cups.

Note: Orange flower water is available at specialty food markets.