Nesselrode pie is a custard cream pie popular in Europe during the nineteenth century. The pie was first created for Count Karl Robert Graf von Nesselrode, who was a Russian diplomat who loved chestnuts. The dessert gained in popularity as a Christmas treat in New York City in the 1920s. I have always wanted to roast chestnuts over an open fire during the Christmas season, but chestnuts are hard to come by anymore. I thus decided to try my hand at a Nesselrode pie this holiday season using canned chestnut puree. The pie was a savory treat with a slight sweetness that I will definitely make again for future holidays!
https://youtu.be/ETQaGP11oBM
Ingredients
Crust
- 10 graham crackers
- 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoons of melted butter
Filling
- 1 1/4 cups of whole milk
- 2 tablespoons of dark rum
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup of brown sugar
- 15.5 ounces of unsweetened chestnut puree
- 1 ounce of powdered gelatin
- 3/4 cup of heavy cream
- 3/4 ounce of bittersweet chocolate
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Grind the graham crackers into a fine crumb.
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs and cocoa powder in a bowl.
- Add the melted butter to the chocolate cracker mixture.
- Stir thoroughly.
- Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate.
- Bake for 10 to 14 minutes until lightly toasted.
- Allow the baked pie crust to cool thoroughly.
- Combine 1 cup of whole milk and the dark rum in a medium sauce pan.
- Place over low heat until small bubbles begin to form around the edges.
- Whisk together the egg yolks and brown sugar for 2 minutes.
- Whisking constantly, slowly pour the hot milk mixture over the egg mixture.
- Return the mixture to the sauce pan.
- Whisking constantly, heat the egg mixture over low heat for 12 to 17 minutes or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
- Remove the egg mixture from the heat.
- Add the chestnut puree to the egg mixture.
- Whisk with a hand mixer until smooth.
- Place the remaining 1/4 cup of milk in a medium bowl.
- Sprinkle the powdered gelatin over the milk.
- Allow the gelatin to sit for 5 minutes.
- Add the gelatin mixture to the chestnut mixture.
- Mix with a hand mixer to combine thoroughly.
- Return the chestnut mixture to the medium bowl.
- Cover the chestnut mixture with plastic wrap.
- Chill the chestnut mixture for 45 minutes.
- Beat the cream with a hand mixer until medium-stiff peaks form.
- Stir a spoonful of the whipped cream into the chestnut mixture.
- Fold the remaining whipped cream into the chestnut mixture.
- Spoon the pie filling into the prepared pie crust.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
- Top the Nesselrode pie with bittersweet chocolate shavings before serving.
- Refrigerate any uneaten Nesselrode pie.
Image Credits
Nesselrode Pie Recipe © 2018 Heather Johnson
Graham Cracker Crumbs for Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Cocoa Powder for Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Melted Butter for Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Pie Crust Dough for Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Pie Crust for Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Milk and Dark Rum for Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Egg Yolks for Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Adding the Milk to the Egg Yolks and Brown Sugar for the Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Whisking the Milk and Egg Mixture for the Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Heated Custard Mixture for the Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Adding the Chestnut Puree to the Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Chestnut Mixture for the Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Powdered Gelatin for the Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Adding the Gelatin to the Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Chilling the Filling for the Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Heavy Cream for the Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Whipped Cream for the Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Adding the Whipped Cream to the Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Filling for the Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Chilling the Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Adding Chocolate Shavings to the Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson
Eating the Nesselrode Pie © 2018 Heather Johnson