I love anything to do with chestnut. Downright to the tree, because it’s so big and beautiful when fully grown. One of the best things about autumn and winter is that it’s chestnut season!

I also love chestnut desserts like Montblancs and breads with a chestnut paste filling in it. But when I eat a Montblanc all I really like about it is the chestnut paste. In a bid to save money and eat the paste to my heart’s content, I decided I’d try making it myself.

And yes, Google has all the answers and I realised how easy it was to make chestnut paste. Buying chestnuts that have already been shelled saves you one step. So I bought some deshelled chestnuts and put them in a pot of water to boil. After they were cooked, I mashed them in my mortar and pestle to try and break it down first before putting it in the blender.

When putting the paste in the blender I also added some honey and then let the rotating blades make the paste smoother. As an experiment, I added some matcha powder to a portion of the chestnut paste. I still prefer it in its original taste.

The resulting paste made for a yummy spread on the bread I had for breakfast!