Chestnut Jam: the easy recipe

Score the chestnuts with the tip of a knife to prevent them from bursting during cooking. Place them in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Let them boil for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and let them cool for 10 minutes uncovered. Remove the chestnuts from the pot and peel them while still warm, removing the shell and skin. Return the chestnuts, fully covered with cold water, to medium heat and let them cook on low for 40 minutes. Drain them in a large colander. Pour 150 ml of water into a saucepan along with the measured sugar and melt over low heat. When the syrup boils, cook it over high heat for 5 minutes.

Reduce the hot chestnuts to a puree using a food mill. Pour the resulting puree into the boiling syrup. Add the split vanilla pod. Stir with a wooden spoon until the boil resumes and let it cook for 20 minutes at a gentle simmer, mixing from time to time to prevent the jam from sticking.

To finish, meanwhile, thoroughly wash the jam jars and then dip them in boiling water to sterilize. Once the jam is cooked, remove the vanilla pod and pour the boiling jam into the jars. If they have screw caps, seal them tightly immediately and turn them upside down on a cloth. Otherwise, cover them hot with plastic wrap and then let them cool. Store them in a cool place.