Chestnut Pieces in Syrup

Spooned over ice cream, this makes the classic coupe aux marrons. It is a dessert sauce full of character—chestnuts in richly flavored syrup, not a syrup containing incidental chestnuts.

We have given directions for using the excellent dried chestnuts that can be found the year round, particularly in Oriental and Italian food shops; we find them wonderful to keep on hand, as fresh chestnuts are perishable and never seem to be in the market when they are wanted. Look for dried