Time: 50 minuti più tempo di riposo
Difficulty: Media

An ideal cake to accompany a hot cup of tea, rich in ingredients allied to health as chestnuts.

Ownership:
Chestnuts are rich in complex carbohydrates (starch), fibre, protein and mineral salts. In addition, they are a good source of B vitamins and do not contain cholesterol. Excellent for fighting stress and fatigue and also against the influence of winter periods, to regain strength, acting as a natural restorer. The percentage of iron contained, helps to counteract anemia and pregnant women is recommended for the presence of folic acid, useful for the growth of the fetus.
Historical outline of the project:
The origins of the chestnut tree, have fossils that attest that the tree should derive from a strain originated in the Tertiary, about 10 million of years ago and that in a warm climate period had spread in Asia, Europe and the Americas. In many writings we find chestnuts in ancient Greece and in ancient Rome.
Today chestnuts are appreciated and consumed throughout Europe, becoming a producer for other states.
Notes
Naturally gluten-free, they are also perfect for use in flour in the most varied recipes of bakery or pastry.
Because of their high carbohydrate content (sugar), chestnuts are not recommended for those suffering from diabetes, colitis or obesity.  raw chestnuts do not do well as they could cause intestinal problems such as bad digestion or gastritis

Ingredients for 8 people:
For the base sponge:
4 eggs
150 g of sugar
120 g Special mix for leavened pastries Molino dalla Giovanna
3 g Gluten-free baking powder
50 g gluten-free dark chocolate beans
the peel of an untreated lemon or vanilla bean
a pinch of salt
Butter and very fine rice flour for the mould
to compose the Charlotte:
250 g Sliced sponge cake (recipe above)
500 g pears
250 g chestnuts
20 g granulated sugar
80 g sultanas
50 g rum
50 g butter
powdered cinnamon
For the cream:
1 l milk
60 g corn starch allowed
6 yolks
1 bay leaf
90 g granulated sugar
In the case of syrup:
5 dl water
300 g granulated sugar
the peel of 1 untreated orange
Difficulty level: medium
Time: 50 minutes + rest time
Procedure:
Cut the chestnuts with a knife and cook in boiling water with a bay leaf for about 30 minutes, then drain, let cool and peel the chestnuts.
Meanwhile prepare the cream. Pour the milk into a saucepan and heat over moderate heat without boiling. Beat the egg yolks in a bowl with the sugar, using the electric whisk, until you get a foamy mixture. Quickly incorporate the sifted starch, stirring with a spatula from bottom to top, then dilute with the hot milk poured flush, continuing to mix (if necessary remove the lumps, pass the preparation with a strainer in thick mesh).
Transfer everything in the milk saucepan and cook over high heat, stirring continuously with a whisk by hand, until you get a thick and homogeneous cream to be kept aside.
Prepare the sponge cake: Peel the eggs (I recommend that they are at room temperature and not from the fridge) in a bowl or in a planetarium with sugar, add the vanilla berry engraved centrally with a knife to extract the pulp, then mount with electric whips until it is puffy and fluffy.
At this point add the mix and yeast to the egg mixture, adding one spoon at a time with a spatula and proceeding with rotary movements from bottom to top. Once all the flour has been added, pour in the chocolate and stir once more. Heat the oven, transfer the dough into a lollipop lined with baking paper and bake at 200 C for 10/12 minutes, at the end, take out the cake and flip the sponge on a chopping board, place on a damp cloth and roll the cake into the cloth.
Peel the pears, remove the core with the seeds and cut into cubes, place in a non-stick pan with butter, sugar and raisins, soaked and squeezed, and cook for about 8 minutes. Add the rum, let it evaporate over high heat, then add a pinch of cinnamon and remove from heat. Let cool in a bowl and meanwhile prepare the syrup. Bring to a boil in a small pan water with sugar and orange peel, and cook for about 30 minutes, first over high heat and then, after 15 minutes, over low heat.
Use the syrup to slightly wet the slices of chocolate sponge cake, so as to soak them well, then line with these a charlotte mold, cutting them if necessary. Then brush with melted butter and set aside.
Grate the chestnuts in the custard, mix everything then transfer the mixture obtained inside the mold, until it is filled. Close it with the remaining sponge cake soaked with syrup and bake in the oven at 170 º C for about 1 hour; finished cooking, bake and let cool. Place the charlotte on the serving plate, sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.