My rabbi sent me an email … do you make nesselrode pie?
I had no idea what it was, so I did what all good bakers do … I googled it. It’s a New York classic! And was originally filled with chestnut … but was it chestnut puree or candied chestnuts (marons glacee)?
I found out that when nesselrode pie is made today, which seems to be a rare occasion, it is made with candied fruits soaked in rum. That does not appeal.
I hate candied fruits. I used to pick them out of our Panetone as a kid, and if I happened to miss one, I’d scrunch up my nose and spit it out. I didn’t care how much I’d get yelled at or how hard I might get slapped, but I was not going to digest one of those green sticky pieces of … what is that crap anyway? It’s unrecognizable. I never believed those things were ever fruit. Candied mold maybe, though I didn’t believe they were candy either, just sticky weird gross things. I still think I’m right.
But chestnuts are something else. Chestnuts are divine.
My rabbi wants this for her wife’s birthday in November. That’s not a problem. I don’t usually do trial runs, but I thought I would for this one. I have a couple of questions to figure out.
Nesselrode pie is likened to a Bavarian cream pie. From the recipes I found, it seems to have a vanilla custard that is lightened with egg whites or whipped cream and all tossed with some rum-soaked chestnut pieces or candied fruits.
It seems to have originated in New York in the 40s, made famous by Hortense Spier Pies, who sold pies to restaurants all over the city in the 40s and 50s.
A New York Times article about the pie claims it is better with a nut crust. That might be interesting.
Then there is the big question of whether to use a chestnut puree or chopped up marons glacee. I think the puree sounds heavenly. Chopped up pieces of things in a custard pie is unappealing to me, but I could well be wrong. Wouldn’t be the first time!
So when I’m out tomorrow, I’ll get some chestnuts and some marons glacee. Then we’ll see.
I had no idea what it was, so I did what all good bakers do … I googled it. It’s a New York classic! And was originally filled with chestnut … but was it chestnut puree or candied chestnuts (marons glacee)?
I found out that when nesselrode pie is made today, which seems to be a rare occasion, it is made with candied fruits soaked in rum. That does not appeal.
I hate candied fruits. I used to pick them out of our Panetone as a kid, and if I happened to miss one, I’d scrunch up my nose and spit it out. I didn’t care how much I’d get yelled at or how hard I might get slapped, but I was not going to digest one of those green sticky pieces of … what is that crap anyway? It’s unrecognizable. I never believed those things were ever fruit. Candied mold maybe, though I didn’t believe they were candy either, just sticky weird gross things. I still think I’m right.
But chestnuts are something else. Chestnuts are divine.
My rabbi wants this for her wife’s birthday in November. That’s not a problem. I don’t usually do trial runs, but I thought I would for this one. I have a couple of questions to figure out.
Nesselrode pie is likened to a Bavarian cream pie. From the recipes I found, it seems to have a vanilla custard that is lightened with egg whites or whipped cream and all tossed with some rum-soaked chestnut pieces or candied fruits.
It seems to have originated in New York in the 40s, made famous by Hortense Spier Pies, who sold pies to restaurants all over the city in the 40s and 50s.
A New York Times article about the pie claims it is better with a nut crust. That might be interesting.
Then there is the big question of whether to use a chestnut puree or chopped up marons glacee. I think the puree sounds heavenly. Chopped up pieces of things in a custard pie is unappealing to me, but I could well be wrong. Wouldn’t be the first time!
So when I’m out tomorrow, I’ll get some chestnuts and some marons glacee. Then we’ll see.
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