• 6 oz. chestnuts, weighed after the skins have been removed
• pinch of salt
• 1 oz. plain chocolate
• ½ pt. milk
• 2 oz. butter or margarine
• 2 oz. flour
• 2 oz. cakecrumbs
• 3 eggs
• ½ teasp. vanilla essence
• 1 oz. castor sugar

Wash the chestnuts, make a slit in each and boil in water for about 10 min. Remove both skins and put the chestnuts into a saucepan with a very little water and the salt. Cook until tender, strain, dry and rub through a fine sieve.

Grate the chocolate and put it in the milk and simmer until dissolved. Allow to cool slightly.

In another pan melt the fat, stir in the flour, cook for 2–3 min. Work in the milk and chocolate gradually, keeping the mixture smooth; stir until it boils. Add the cakecrumbs and continue cooking until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Allow to cool. Separate the eggs. Beat into the mixture the egg yolks, chestnut purée, vanilla essence and sugar. Whisk the egg whites to a stiff froth and fold them lightly into the mixture. Pour into a well-buttered mould. Cover with buttered paper. Bake in a fairly hot oven (375° F., Gas 5) for 1 hr. or steam for 1½ hr.

Serve with custard sauce.