We return to baking this week, and a little cake I’ve been wanting to make since first seeing a tray of these spectacular little treats in a patisserie window in Paris many years ago.

Next to all the mille-feuilles and éclairs sat little paper cases filled with what looked like brown spaghetti. I couldn’t take my eyes off them.

This magnificent beast, I was to learn, was the famous Mont Blanc dessert, named after the pinnacle of the Alps which looms above the pretty town of Chamonix at almost sixteen thousand feet.

The ‘spaghetti’ was, in fact, a rich purée of chestnuts, piped through a special nozzle and heaped over a meringue and cream filling. Incredibly rich and indulgent, just as all good patisseries should be.

It started appearing around the 1500s, and is thought to originate in alpine Italy, where not only does the eponymous mountain sit (half of Mont Blanc is over the French border) but where chestnuts grow in abundance.

It soon spread to the tearooms and coffee houses of old Europe, and has been a staple of serious patissiers ever since.

Amazingly, it is one of the most popular desserts in Japan, where they also sometimes add a hint of matcha tea or even pumpkin purée to their recipes. No self-respecting pastry shop is without an impeccably neat tray of ‘monburan’, each topped with shiny glazed chestnut.

These days, most of our chestnuts come form the vast ‘chataigneraies’ of the Lot and Ardèche regions of France, though many regions produce smaller amounts – the chestnut is a popular and widespread tree in the southern half of the country.

In my own beloved Aveyron region, there is even an annual chestnut festival, which is looked forward to immensely Parades, cook-offs and dinners are held in honour of this marvellous little tree, with special recipes prepared just for this feast.

I’d had this dish on the ‘to do’ list for ages, and the simple act of watching the Tour De France pushed this classic pastry to the front of the list almost immediately.

I needed a recipe to use as a guide, so I went and did some research, and was astounded. This is perhaps the strangest recipe I’ve ever come across, because there appears to be absolutely no consensus on the ingredients or methods, save for the fact that it uses chestnuts.

There are tarts, creams, meringues, in cups, in cases, on plates. So, with pretty much no map, but with a great sense of adventure, I just went and decided on a combination of the necessary elements for myself.

I wanted something a little more substantial than just a meringue with cream, but not as hefty as a filled pastry tartlet. So I decided upon a classic whisked egg genoise sponge upon which to build my mountain of delights.

Here, then, is my own, personal Mont Blanc recipe. My usual suggestion that you play about with the recipe until it feels right for you goes double here; all bets are off! Just make sure you use plenty of that heavenly chestnut purée.

For piping the purée you should have a special Mont Blanc nozzle, like a thimble with holes in it, but I wouldn’t expect you to go to all that trouble.

Simply use the smallest nozzle you have, or better still use a plastic piping bag from a roll, and simply cut a very small hole in the end.

FOR THE GENOISE:

3 medium-size fresh, free-range eggs

95g unrefined golden caster sugar

20g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

95g plain flour

A pinch of salt

FOR THE MERINGUE:

2 free-range egg whites

110g refined white caster sugar

FOR THE CHESTNUT CREAM:

300ml whipping cream

4 tsp sweetened chestnut paste

FOR THE CHESTNUT PUREE:

1 x 250g tin sweetened chestnut paste

1 tablespoon icing sugar, sifted

A little milk

A splash of rum (optional)

EXTRAS:

A few whole, peeled chestnuts (I used the vac-pac ones)

A little unrefined golden caster sugar for caramelising

Icing sugar and cocoa for dusting

Baking parchment

Piping bag and nozzle

METHOD:

For the sponge, heat the oven to 180ºC / Gas 4. Whisk the eggs and sugar until very pale and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. Gently fold in the cooled butter and then the flour and salt, going as smoothly and quickly as possible, so as not to beat the air from the sponge. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the sponge has a lovely rich golden colour, and bounces back when pressed in the middle. Cool on a wire rack before unmoulding.

Using a pastry cutter or a knife, cut neat circles in the sponge, about 8cm in diameter. The remaining sponge can be used for trifles or in the base of chocolate mousse pots. Set the discs aside until all the elements have been prepared.

To make the meringues, heat the oven to 150ºC / Gas 2 and line a baking sheet with parchment. Place the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk on low speed for about 2 minutes, until the whites are foamy, then turn the speed up to high and continue whisking until the egg whites reach the stiff-peak stage. Whisk in the sugar on high speed until you have a stiff and glossy mixture. Pipe this in smooth domes about 5cm high and 6cm wide on the lined sheet, pop them on the centre shelf of the oven, reduce the heat to 140°C / Gas 1, and bake for about an hour, or until dry and firm to the touch. Open the oven door, turn off the heat, and leave the meringues to set up until the oven is cold.

To make the Chantilly, beat a splash of cream into the chestnut paste to loosen it. Whip the emaining cream to a firmish peak, then fold carefully into the loosened chestnut purée. Refrigerate until required.

To make the chestnut purée, beat the paste with the icing sugar, a splash of milk and a drop or two of rum to produce a thick purée that holds its shape well. Spoon the purée into your piping bag. To candy the chestnuts, heat the sugar and a splash of water in a pan, and bubble together until the mixture forms a light golden caramel. Add the chestnuts and gently swish them about, allowing the caramel to coat the pieces.

Tip onto a sheet of baking parchment and cool until you can safely handle them, then divide into small pieces. To assemble, place a meringue on each of the sponge discs, and smooth a little of the chestnut Chantilly around, sealing it in. Then, carefully pipe the chestnut purée over the top in a neat mound. Top with a few pieces of candied chestnut, and dust with cocoa and/or icing sugar. Serve immediately, ideally with a nice strong cup of black coffee.