Marrons Glaces Chestnut Sauce Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Serving Size: 4 tablespoons Ingredients - 15 ounces jar of whole roasted chestnuts or use fresh whole chestnuts - 1 cup sugar - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract - good quality - 1 1/2 cups water - 1 1/2 teaspoons rum    A traditional French syrup, made with roasted chestnuts, that adds a deliciously sweet and nutty flavor to ice cream, cake, or any baked dessert.   Directions If chestnuts are fresh, prepare by cooking the nuts in boiling salt water for 15 minutes, making sure to make an "X" slit in the shell prior to cooking (The slit keeps the nut from bursting apart while it cooks. Roasted chestnuts can be used to eliminate the cooking.). Remove each nut	1

	separately and while still hot, remove the shell and husk, placing each moist chestnut in a bowl covered with a hot towel as a lid to preserve the moisture in the nuts. In a small pot, prepare the syrup by combining the sugar, vanilla, and water. Simmer the ingredients and let the solution thicken into a syrup. Add rum to the syrup and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes more. Prepare a quart jar for use to hold the syrup. Make sure it is sterilized by cleansing with boiling water. Place the cooked chestnuts in the quart jar, pour the syrup over the chestnuts and let stand at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours. After remaining at room temperature, refrigerate overnight to allow syrup and nuts to become more flavorful. The syrup and chopped nuts can be used as a topping or the whole nuts can be served as a sweet and flavorful dessert snack.	2