Cestino di croccante con gelato al rosmarino e castagnaccino di stagione - WHB # 157

Un dolcetto tipico autunnale, che richiama alla mente il classico castagnaccio toscano (che da noi qua in Veneto è detto "bole"); io l'ho trovato perfetto servito tiepido accompagnato da una pallina di gelato al rosmarino.

INGREDIENTI per 4 dolcetti:

125g. di farina di castagne

200g. di acqua

50g. di latte fresco intero

50g. di zucchero

30g. di olio extravergine di oliva

20g. di uvetta sultanina

20g. di pinoli

2 rametti di rosmarino fiorito per decorare

Ammollare l'uvetta per 5 minuti in acqua, poi scolarla e asciugarla.

Setacciare la farina di castagne, unire lo zucchero e il latte e mescolare con una frusta per evitare grumi. Aggiungere l'acqua a filo mescolando, per ultimo unire l'olio e qualche ago di rosmarino tritato.

Lasciare riposare il composto fluido per 15 minuti, poi unire l'uvetta e i pinoli.

Ungere gli stampini (io ho usato quelli in silicone), riempirli col composto e cuocere in forno già caldo a 180° per 15/20 minuti. Sfornare e lasciare intiepidire. Decorare col rametto di rosmarino.

Questa ricetta partecipa al WHB # 157 ospitato da Wiffy di Noob Cook
This recipe participate at WHB # 157 hosted by Wiffy from Noob Cook

Thanks again to Haalo from Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once,
she is now the great manager for WHB!

I participated in Kalyn's 3^rd Anniversary celebration for WHB, and read all comments about WHB Giveaways. Even though I gave my vote to basil as my favourite herb, I do like rosemary very much too, it was also one of the most selected, just after cilantro and basil. Rosemary is a perennial herb, very easy to grow and I should say there is no garden in Italy without it! It's one of the most important herb in our cuisine as well as in all Mediterranean countries.Due to this warm Autumn with delightful temperatures, I have my rosemary plants still blooming in my garden, you can see them! Mixed and minced with sage, laurel and kitchen salt is a fantastic aromatic flavouring for most all of my dishes. So I tried to use it for desserts as well.

Castagnaccio is very popular and common in Tuscany, as well as in Veneto where we call it "bole". It's made with chestnut flour, extravirgin olive oil, raisins, pine nuts and rosemary. It is considered a "poor country dish", because in the past years chestnut flour was the principle ingredient of country kitchen in that region.
I found it very nice served warm (it's a little bit crunchy outside but very soft inside) with an unusual but surprising rosemary-flavoured ice cream too.

Rosemary Ice Cream served in Almon Brittle Basket
with Chestnut Pudding

Ingredients for 4 desserts:
125g. chestnut flour
200g. water
50g. fresh milk
50g. sugar
30g. extravirgin oil
20g. raisins
20g. pine nuts
2 bloomed rosemary twigs for decoration

Soften raisins in warm water for 5minutes, then dry it well.
Sift out flour, add sugar and milk and mix well. Add water carefully, then oil and some rosemary finely chopped. Leave the mixture rest for 15 minutes, then add raisins and pine nuts. Pour in oiled tins (I used silicone ones) and bake at 180°for 15/20 minutes. Leave them get warm and decorate with rosemary.
Rosemary Ice Cream:
2 rosemary twigs, finely chopped
50g. sugar
250g. fresh milk
250g. fresh cream
10g. glucose*

* in Italy we find it at the chemist's shops

Leave sugar and chopped rosemary in a closed jar for 2 days.
In a pan mix milk, cream, rosemary with sugar and glucose, put it on low fire and just before boiling switch off and let cool. Put the mixture in the ice-cream making machine following instructions until ice-cream is ready.

Almond brittle basket:
Mincemeat: finely sliced peeled almonds/grated peanuts/grated hazel-nuts
Sugar

Double weight of sugar then mincemeat.

Make caramel with sugar, add favourite mincemeat (toasted for a minute in oven 200° so it releases all flavourings) and mix well. Pour it on a baking paper, cover with other paper and roll out, then put it in shape on an overturned bowl.
If you are quite quick you can cut, with a round shape cutter, small baskets and put them on overturned glasses or cups, otherwise it's better to do one at a time because the mixture get cold fast.

Round up WHB #157