If you have followed me for awhile now, this won´t be news.. but.. if you´re new to this blog, allow me to share this one not so “tiny teeny little thing” about me:
I LOVE TRAVELING.. just as much as I love desserts!
Desserts in Madrid the capital of Spain
So when I get to combine my two passions, I become a very excited woman-like-girl with loads of jumping, giggling, smiling and non stop talking going on!
My husband can vouch for this (thank God he still loves me..lol)
Recently we visited Madrid. This was my 8th visit to this amazing city. Although we live in Spain, we live on one of the Canary Islands, called Gran Canaria. To get to the mainland where Madrid is, we need to take a flight and that flight takes 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Needless to say I often get cabin fever living on an island (how many beaches do you really need..?) and one of the places I love to go to is Madrid.
Let me tell you something.. if you haven´t visited this magnificent city yet, you´re going to love it. TRUST ME!
I mean just look at this photo above! If you love architecture of old, beautiful buildings, you´ll fall in love with this city straight away…
See what I mean?? Aren´t these buildings just beautiful!!!
Two things though:
- There are loads of people roaming the streets of this city, habitants, tourist, they all flock the streets during all hours of the day.. So if you don´t like (loads of) people, this city is not for you.
- Madrid during the Summer is unbearably hot.. winter can be freezing too. It´s best to book your trip during Spring or Autumn.
My blog is about DESSERTS and although I´ve added this new section called “Around the World” I wanted to make sure that each and every blog post I write about my travel experiences, incorporate what this blog is really about..
..so I asked Montes (a Spanish native) from Manzana y Canela (she blogs about desserts in Spanish) if I could share her Chestnut and Chocolate Cake Recipe. She said YES and I hope you love the idea of pairing chestnuts and chocolate as much as I do…
Chestnuts are huge in Autumn in Spain. The Spaniards especially love them roasted on an open fire! To be honest, the first time I ate an actual chestnut was here in Spain.. before that I thought they were only good for squirrels.. lol.. really.. *embarrassed smile*.
F.Y.I.: the smell of feshly roated chestnuts is amazing!
Ingredients
- 1 kg chestnuts
- 500 ml milk
- 110 grams pure Dutch cocoa powder
- 4 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 packet "bizcochos de soletilla" (250 grams) (if you can´t find these, you could use the biscuits you would use for Tiramisu)
- Syrup (100 grams sugar, 100 ml water, rum or your prefered liqueur)
Instructions
- Firstly, prepare the syrup: add 100 grams sugar and 100ml water in a pot and heat it up until the sugar has dissolved completely.
- Remove it from the heat and add the liqueur you have chosen and allow it to cool.
- Make a small incision in each chestnut, put them in a bowl covered with water and cook in the microwave at maximum power for 20 to 22 minutes.
- After the elapsed time, peel the chestnuts as soon as you can touch them (the hotter they are when you peel them, the better).
- Put all the chestnuts in your high velocity blender until a puree has formed. Remove it from the blender and leave to one side.
- Without washing the blender, add the milk, sugar and chocolate and blend well together. Add the puree of chestnuts.
- Meanwhile prepare your mold (the best is to use one you would use for example for a banana bread).
- Line the inside of the mold with transparent film (which makes it easier to take out later).
- Use a pastry brush to soak the "bizcochos de soletilla" with the sugar syrup, adding them to the bottom and the sides of the mold.
- Add the chestnut and chocolate mixture on top, fill until nearly the top of the mold.
- Add more "bizcochos de soletilla" on top that were also soaked in the sugar syrup.
- Cover with more transparent film and allow to cool at room temperature.
- Put in the fridge to cool further (at least 2 hours) to set completely.
- Decorate with more chestnuts and enjoy!
Another typical sweet treat in Spain, also very famous in Madrid, is CHURROS & CHOCOLATE! Churros are piped strips of dough, fried in hot oil using a pastry bag. The “Chocolate” I´m referring to is a hot chocolate drink but much thicker than the hot chocolate were used to, it´s more like a hot liquidy chocolate pudding. You dip the churros into the chocolate and then eat them *big smile*.
The Spanish love having this for breakfast. Truth be told, on my very first trip to Madrid when churros & chocolate were still new to me, hubby and I had them for breakfast every single day of our trip…
Needless to say I needed to loose a few kilos (or pounds where you live) when I returned home……
Then ofcourse no travel post would be complete if I didn´t share some photos of my family in Madrid too..
Exhibit A: My very sexy Spanish hubby and my son, Luca, the cutest boy in the whole wide world (a very proud Mommy that I am)!
Exhibit B: Teagan, my teenage daughter. Don´t worry we get along on most days *smile*. Seriously.. I love this girl with all my heart!
I hope I´ve inspired you guys to start saving, book a trip, do research.. anything.. to visit one of my most favourite cities in the world..
M A D R I D
Bon Voyage!
Johlene
xoxo
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My father grew up in Madrid, and I’ve been to visit twice, but it’s been so long. Hopefully we’ll visit again one day soon, but when there’s time for a proper trip to get around more of the country! Lovely write up and family!
Thanks Mary! I just love Madrid, and every time I go there I like it even more 🙂
Madrid is so beautiful! What wonderful architecture! And this cake looks delicious. I’ve never had chestnuts and chocolate together. It sounds wonderful!
Thanks for your comment Amanda! Madrid is really so beautiful, I hope you get to visit their some day SOON! 🙂
oh my! that chestnut choc cake looks so appetizing! We just moved to Thailand but now I am thinking should have moved to Spain instead 😉
You guys did?? You moved to Thailand! Wow how awesome!!!
Madrid looks absolutely beautiful. And I completely understand, sometimes being in one place can make you want to get out. Delicious desserts as well. And Johlene, you have such a beautiful family. If ever I am in Spain, I will definitely let you know :).
Kia / KTS
http://www.houseofkts.com
Thanks Kia! Definitely let me know when you´re in Spain… 🙂