‘Tis the season for all things holiday baking, guests popping in and out with little notice, keeping a few extra nice bottles of wine about, and for me this December, all things chestnut, starting with this Chocolate Chestnut Coffeecake. Over the next few weeks, you’re going to see my fall obsession with chestnuts unfold in the form of soup, sticky buns, and perhaps a salad or two, but we start with this dense and delicious Chocolate Chestnut Coffeecake. While of course I have way too many cooking items, pans, utensils and appliances in Dirty Laundry Kitchen proper, I do try very hard to limit carefully specialty items that serve few purposes. One of the specialty pans that I can get behind is a mini-loaf pan. It’s the perfect volume for a 9”x5” coffeecake recipe and it produces four mini loaves that I wrap up tight in foil and keep in the freezer for gifts, impromptu brunches, and pop-in guests. They’re also nice for those Sundays when you don’t have guests, but you want something special none-the-less. The only problem with a Sunday of indulgence is that its supposed to end with Sunday; you really don’t want to indulge all week long, but that invariably happens when you cut into a big loaf of double almond pumpkin bread or rhubarb coffeecake. Of course, all of those recipes work well in the mini pans but who has rhubarb this time of year? It’s time for chocolate and oranges and chestnuts and Winter. This Chocolate Chestnut Coffeecake is perfect for ringing in the Holiday season as well as sending your Thanksgiving guests off in style.
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter; room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs; room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon orange extract (I like it subtle)
- Chocolate Chestnut filling
- Crumb Topping
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Butter pan.
- Using an electric mixer, beat sugar and ½ cup butter until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
- Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions.
- Beat in sour cream and vanilla.
- Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix well.
- Add 2 cups flour and mix until just combined.
- Scrape half of batter into prepared pan.
- Sprinkle chestnut filling over.
- Top with remaining batter, then crumb topping.
- Bake cake until top is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 20-30 minutes (for the minis- it will be much longer in a 9x5).
- Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool before unfolding.
- Slice and serve with lots of coffee.
- Cake can be baked ahead. Wrap in foil and refrigerate. Serve room temperature. (I think the texture improves. It becomes more dense, which I like. You could also wrap tightly and store at room temperature for one day to keep it lighter.)
- 1 9”x5” coffee cake, or 4 minis which make great gifts and are also good for portion control.
- ½ cup+ coarsely chopped vacuum-packed or jarred roasted chestnuts
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, divided
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- Cook chestnuts, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons water in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until pan is almost dry and chestnuts are coated in syrup, about 5 minutes.
- Let cool.
- Toss in cocoa and remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar.
- ½ cup almond flour or meal
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter; diced
- Combine almond flour, sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt in the mixing bowl you used for the cake (no need to wash it out). With the flat blade, beat mixture until it holds together when pinched but is still crumbly.
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/chestnut-coffee-cake
Oh my goodness, Chestnut Coffeecake looks delicious! I’m definitely making this! thanks for sharing!