It's never too early to start making homemade gifts (...and a recipe for chestnut cake)

All my tested, easy ideas and a few inspirations from others food writers

Hello friends,

I know it’s a bit early to start talking about Christmas and the holiday season. But it’s not too early for those of us who bravely embark on the project of homemade edible gifts. There’s something deeply satisfying about preserving and canning — from the bright summer days to chestnut season — and then sharing all those jars I’ve cared for and coddled with friends and family, along with my best wishes.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you already know my cupboard is full of apricot jam, made with the juiciest fruits of this summer. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve added one of my favorite holiday gifts to the same shelf: pickled chestnuts in whiskey syrup.

I collected the chestnuts during a sunny October afternoon, then with time and patience, boiled, roasted, and finally canned them in syrup. You can find the full process in my blog post, and there’s still time to make a batch for gifting this year.

Here are a few other edible gifts I love to prepare (and that are always a hit):

• Homemade liqueur — Made with alcohol and herbs or spices. The best part? You can control the sugar level, which is usually what bothers me in store-bought ones. I’ve shared the full process in this blog post.

• Brownies, cakes, or cookies in a jar — The classic “jar gift,” perfect for friends who don’t bake as often. Bonus: it can be made at the very last minute.

• Vanilla syrup — This is how I reuse all the vanilla pods left from baking throughout the year: I store them in a bottle of good rum or whiskey. After a few months, the liquor is infused with a rich vanilla aroma. I then mix it 1:1 with water and sugar syrup and bottle it into small jars: a simple, elegant gift.

You can find a longer list of edible gift ideas (from me and other food writers) on the blog. I’ve recently read here on Substack about candied pecan nuts with a touch of gochujang pepper, and I think I’ll add that to my gifts this year!

And if you like me have a full bowl of chestnut in the fridge, waiting for their destiny to be chosen, you might be interested in this recipe. It’s a flourless cake made with just the boiled chestnuts, along with cocoa, eggs, and a splash of milk. It has an incredibly soft, moist texture that almost melts in your mouth. The chestnuts replace any need for flour, giving structure and sweetness at the same time, while the cocoa adds depth and some well appreciated indulgence.

If you don’t have fresh chestnuts on hand you can make it with dried chestnuts simmered until tender, or take a shortcut with pre-cooked steamed chestnuts, which are easy to find in fall and winter. For a dairy-free version, just use your favorite plant-based milk: almond, oat, or soy all work beautifully.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked chestnuts - or about 2 cups dried (500 g cooked or 250 g dried)

• ½ cup sugar (100 g)

• 1 cup milk (250 g)

• 3 ½ tbsp butter (50 g)

• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (30 g)

• 2 eggs, separated

• 2 tbsp potato starch (or cornstarch)

• 1 ½ tsp baking powder

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Instructions:

1. Prepare the chestnuts:
   Rinse the dried chestnuts and place them in a pot with cold water and a pinch of salt. Simmer gently for about 2 hours until tender.
   (If using pre-cooked or steamed chestnuts, skip this step. If using fresh chestnuts, boil them and then peel them.)

2. Mash the chestnuts:
   Drain the chestnuts and blend them in a food processor until smooth. Set aside.

3. Make the chocolate mixture:
   In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa powder. Whisk well to remove any lumps and cook over low heat until the butter is melted and the sugar fully dissolved. Let cool slightly.

4. Prepare the batter:
   Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and butter a 9-inch (23–25 cm) round pan.
   Pour the chocolate mixture into the mashed chestnuts and mix until well combined.
   Add the egg yolks, potato starch, and baking powder. Mix again: the batter will be fairly liquid.

5. Incorporate the egg whites:
   Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold them into the chestnut mixture using a spatula, moving from bottom to top to keep the batter airy.

6. Bake:
   Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the cake is set but a toothpick inserted in the center comes out slightly moist (not wet).

7. Cool and serve:
   Let the cake cool in the pan.
   Once cool, dust with powdered sugar or some more cocoa before serving, if desired. Serve with a dollop of heavy cream or some vanilla ice-cream.