Marrons Glacés

Marrons glacés are one of my favourite Christmas time indulgences. They are glazed chestnuts that find their origins in the South of France and Northern Italy.

Ah, the South of France...

Ah, Northern Italy...

I digress.


This confection first finds itself as regular chestnuts. They are hulled, skinned, and placed into a sugary syrup. Then begins a labour-intensive, five-day process of heating, waiting, praying and repeating, to make the candied goodies.

After the process is complete, the result is a fudge-like sweet that is better than chocolate. They have a slight vanilla flavour and are delicately smooth. You definitely will not be able to stop at one.

In the Greater Toronto Area, these bad boys are very difficult to find. You can purchase them from select specialty Italian stores and gourmet food shops. However, you will be paying a pretty penny for them. The two boxes above cost me approximately $50 CAD, and were well worth the price. (Believe it or not, they are actually more expensive in Europe!)


Whether you are a guest at my home, a friend or a family member, I do not share.


Merry Chestnut! I mean, Christmas!