Sweet Chestnut Confit: A Taste of Autumn
Making ‘Little Forest’ Style Chestnut Confit (Bo-nui Bam) with Autumnal Charm
Autumn feels like such a fleeting season, always leaving me wanting more. Watching the movie ‘Little Forest,’ I was inspired by Hye-won (played by Kim Tae-ri) making her chestnut confit and really wanted to try it myself. I remembered enjoying the sweet taste of boni-bam (chestnuts with their inner skin) from a bakery where I used to work part-time. This autumn, reminiscent of those sweet memories and knowing how useful it would be for baking, I decided to make it. While making bo-nui bam requires a bit of effort, the delicious result makes every step worthwhile! Bo-nui bam refers to chestnuts prepared so that even the inner skin (called ‘yulpi’ in Korean) can be eaten. ‘Bo-nui’ is the Korean word for this inner skin, a beautiful name indeed. Since the yulpi is consumed, the process involves removing its astringency and softening its texture to create this delicious chestnut preserve. Although it takes time and care, I highly recommend you try making it! Enjoy the cooler autumn days with a piece of warm bo-nui bam and a comforting cup of tea.
Ingredients
- 860g peeled chestnuts
- 1.5 tsp baking soda
- 400g raw cane sugar (or granulated sugar)
- A pinch of salt
- 2 tsp rum
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Wash the chestnuts thoroughly. Soaking them in warm water for about 1 hour will make peeling much easier.
Step 2
Carefully peel only the outer shell of the chestnuts. Since you’ll be repeating the boiling process, it’s crucial to get the outer shell off cleanly. Try your best not to expose the yellow inner flesh.
Step 3
Place the chestnuts in a bowl, cover them with water, and add the baking soda. Let them soak for half a day to a full day to remove any bitterness.
Step 4
Transfer the soaked chestnuts and their soaking water into a pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Step 5
As the water starts to boil and foam rises, reduce the heat to low and skim off any foam that forms.
Step 6
Continue to simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes. After simmering, discard the cooking water and rinse the chestnuts under cold water. The photo shows the chestnuts after one rinse.
Step 7
Add enough fresh water to cover the chestnuts again. Repeat the process of boiling and rinsing two more times. (Adjust the stove heat from medium to medium-low). If the yulpi (inner skin) is thick, you may need to repeat this step an additional 1-2 times. Adjust based on the condition of your chestnuts.
Step 8
When rinsing, be very gentle to avoid peeling off the yulpi.
Step 9
You’ll notice thick cores or pith inside the cleaned chestnuts. Use a toothpick to carefully remove these cores.
Step 10
After removing the cores, gently rub away any remaining fuzzy bits under running water. This step is repeated about three times, and since the yulpi can easily detach, handle the chestnuts with extra care when removing fuzz.
Step 11
Pour enough fresh water into the pot to cover the chestnuts. Add the raw cane sugar (using raw cane sugar adds a nice depth of flavor, but granulated sugar works too) and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
Step 12
Once the syrup begins to bubble, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer until the liquid reduces by about half. This usually takes 1 to 1.5 hours.
Step 13
Add the rum (or wine or sake, if using as a substitute) about 5 minutes before turning off the heat. This adds a lovely aroma and flavor.
Step 14
Carefully transfer the finished bo-nui bam and the syrup into a sterilized jar. Your delicious chestnut confit is complete! After a few days, the syrup will further penetrate the chestnuts, making them even more moist and coloring them beautifully.
