Castagnaccio is a simple Italian chestnut cake with a crunchy nut top. The dense and fudgy base is made with little more than chestnut flour and water. It's infused with honey and rosemary and is both dairy and egg-free.
Cover the raisins with warm water and leave to soak for at least ten minutes.
25 g raisins
Preheat the oven up to 160℃ (140℃ fan, 320℉, Gas 3).
Meanwhile, prep all your other ingredients, including chopping the walnuts.
Place the chestnut flour into a medium sized mixing bowl along with the salt and whisk to remove any lumps.
200 g chestnut flour, pinch sea salt
Drain the raisins, catching the water in a measuring jug. Then add enough fresh water to make it up to 225 ml. Pour into the flour and whisk until combined and no lumps remain.
225 ml water
Add the olive oil and honey and whisk to combine again.
40 ml extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp honey
Stir in the drained raisins.
Scrape the mixture into a 20cm round shallow silicone mould or lined tin and level it out with the back of a spoon.
Remove the rosemary needles from the sprig and scatter them over the top. Then scatter over the walnuts and pine nuts. Press the nuts in slightly with your hands or the back of a spoon so that everything sticks.
30 g walnuts, 20 g pine nuts, 1 sprig fresh rosemary
Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. The top should be firm and just starting to crack.
Leave to cool for fifteen minutes, then turn out onto a serving plate and cut into eight slices.
Serve warm or at room temperature with a drizzle of honey, if liked.
Notes
A true castagnaccio shouldn't be much above one centimetre in height.For a boozy variation, soak the raisins or sultanas in 2 tbsp of vin santo, marsala or Sambuca instead of water.You’ll find additional tips and info about this recipe in the main body of the post.Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on exact ingredients used. Please refer to my nutrition disclaimer for further information.