Chestnut Sweets for Thanksgiving (or Christmas!)

If you like roasted chestnuts, you’ll love these Chestnut Sweets. They are a perfect addition to any holiday meal whether for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

These sweet meat snacks are best served immediately, but if you need to, you can make them up an hour ahead of time.

Try them out at your next gathering. Your guests will be clamoring for this easy appetizer recipe!

What you’ll need:

- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

- 1 Tablespoon salt

- one 1-pound jar of vacuum-packed whole chestnuts (not canned)

- 4 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying

First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Next, sift together the confectioners’ sugar and the salt. Then, in a baking pan, place the chestnuts in a layer and bake in the upper third of your oven for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until the chestnuts feel hot and dry to the touch.

Next, take out the chestnuts from the baking pan and add them to the sugar mixture. Toss them gently to coat and put aside.

Then, in a 3-quart saucepan, heat 1 1/2 inches oil over a moderate heat. Test the temperature with a deep fat thermometer until it shows 350 degrees F. Your oil is now hot enough for using. Fry the chestnuts in batches of 8 for about 1 to 2 minutes, or at least, until they turn brown and crisp.

And then, with a slotted spoon, transfer the chestnuts to rack to cool a little. Make sure your oil maintains the temperature at 350 degrees F. At the same time, carefully skim off the caramelized sugar from the surface of oil between batches as necessary.

If you make the Chestnut Sweets an hour ahead of time, just leave them out so they stay at room temperature. Otherwise, serve immediately. They are delicious!