The Mont Blanc is a classic French dessert named after the largest and most iconic mountain peak in the Alps. In keeping with our Gin of the Month for January 2020, the Alpine-inspired Altitude Gin, we’ve given this traditional recipe a delicious twist: these buttery tarts contain pillowy mounds of sweet chestnut purée, infused with just a little gin, whipped cream, and are then topped with snowy mountain peaks of meringue, in honour of their namesake!

We’ve also added a decadent layer of dark chocolate ganache to complement the wintery warmth of the chestnut – a sumptuous reward to look forward to after a day out in the cold!

*These chocolate, chestnut and meringue tartlets are inspired by the classic Mont Blanc dessert*

‘Mont Blanc’ Chocolate Chestnut Meringue Tarts

Makes 12 x 9cm tarts

12 pre-made pastry tartlet shells
You could use chocolate pastry for added naughtiness!

For the chestnut filling

200g unsweetened chestnut puree
60g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
40ml gin
250ml milk
3 egg yolks
40g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
10g flour
10g cornflour

For the dark chocolate ganache

100g dark chocolate
100ml double cream

For the meringue

3 egg whites
175g caster sugar

Begin my making your chestnut filling. Combine your chestnut puree in a blender with your icing sugar and vanilla extract and pulse with a blender until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the gin and set aside.

2. Heat the milk in a heavy bottom saucepan on a medium heat until it comes to a boil. While the milk is heating, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla until pale. Whisk in the flour and cornflour.

3. When the milk reaches a boil, remove it from the heat for 30 seconds, then slowly pour over your egg mixture, whisking continually. Return the mixture to the pan and bring to a boil, then simmer for a minute, continually whisking as the mixture thickens up.

4. Pour the creamy mix into a clean bowl and stir in the chestnut puree mixture. Cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin forming and leave to cool. Once it has cooled, pipe or spoon the chestnut cream mix so that it fills the tartlet cases two thirds of the way to the top.

5. To make your dark chocolate ganache layer, break the chocolate into chunks in a bowl, then gently heat the cream in a heavy bottomed saucepan. When it comes to the boil pour it over the chocolate and stir until you have a thick glossy, ganache. Fill the tarts to the top with ganache and pop in the fridge to cool.

6. Preheat the oven to 180c/Fan 160c. Whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk until soft peaks form. Slowly add the caster sugar and whisk until the meringue is glossy and stiff peaks form. Swirl the meringue on top of each tartlet, using a fork to create small peaks, or use a piping bag to pipe small “mountain” peaks across the top.

7. Bake in the oven for around 15 minutes, until the meringue is gently golden on top (it may catch quicker with the taller mountain peaks of meringue, so keep a careful eye on your meringue summits!).

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