All You Need To Know About Marron Glace

You know that moment when your special snacks collection doesn't quite taste the same as it used to, right?! At Yummy Bazaar, we call that snack rut. Don't worry; we have all been there. Luckily, we are ready to let you in on our "secret cure." In our online grocery store of fun & fine food, you're bound to find a gamut of unique treats, including French chocolate twigs, goat cheese-flavored crackers, truffle potato chips, and so much more. But today, we're determined to introduce you to the most versatile of them all - Marron Glace, a criminally underrated and unbelievably moreish chestnut treat from Europe.

Marron Glaces are one of the holiday staples in French, as might be expected from the country of chestnut-enthusiasts. These moreish bites are bound to conquer your ex-pat friends' hearts easily. Culinary tales about the creation of Marron Glaces are shrouded in mystery, but as experts on dressing even the simplest stuff in sheer exquisiteness - the French have made these candied chestnuts into fancy little specialty treats, beloved across the world. To fully understand the allure of French Marron Glaces, we prepared a quick blog about what exactly are they, when they were created, and, naturally, where you can buy Marron Glaces - basically, everything you need to know. So let's get down to the nitty-gritty, shall we?

To put it in its simplest form, Marron Glace is a type of chestnut confection with an overwhelmingly time-consuming recipe. To prepare Marron Glaces, chestnuts are dipped in syrup and glazed with sugar several times. The idea behind this tasty treat is to fully immerse chestnuts with syrup, penetrating its heart to transform them into a delicate, soft confection. Making Marron Glaces might sound easy, but, in reality, it's a laborious process, effortless to mess up. It takes utmost care and precision not to ruin chestnuts selected for Marron Glace. So, if you even decide to make them on your own, have a try; just know you’ve been warned!

As a general rule, chestnuts are selected based on size and then peeled to the bone. After peeling, fruits are cooked to perfection and only then soaked in syrup. Cooking is one of the most important and challenging parts of preparing Marron Glaces since the step determines how well chestnuts will absorb the syrup. And, as one can imagine, balancing the perfectly cooked - not too hard, not too soft - texture of chestnuts takes a lot of shots. After coating them with the initial syrup layer, chestnuts are candied for days, on average, a week, several times. However, it’s all worth it. After fruits are candied to the max, they are left to drain and then glazed.

As for its origins, Marron Glace is a topic of culinary controversy. The moreish confection can be dated back to the 15th century Piedmont. However, Lyon and Cuneo (a city in Piedmont famous for its love for chestnuts and abundant harvest) have a warm dispute over the title of Marron Glace's creator. While candied chestnuts were first recorded in Italy in their simplest form, they only got their enchanting glazed looks in the 16th century. We don't want to take any sides. However, it's a well-known, recorded fact that the first-ever recipe for candied chestnuts is traced back to an Italian cook who worked for the Duke of Savoy. However, it turns out, around 1667, they got their hands on the recipe at Versailles court, too.

However, when discussing the origins of Marron Glace, usually, it's France that pops up first. The country is responsible for polishing the recipe and incorporating it into the national cuisine as the ultimate staple confection. There's no Christmas in France without Marron Glaces. It shouldn't come as a surprise since the country is home to more than 75 cultivars of sweet chestnuts, harvested over the, as some sources claim, nearly 25% of France. So, when it came to modifying chestnuts into flour, sweets, or even beer, France was the first to do it!

We're more than confident we've fueled your curiosity for soft, ever-so-sweet Marron Glace. We doubt you've got the time to make them by hand, and even if you do, can you resist the temptation for seven days - now that's the real question. Can you finish what you have started? If your answer is yes, just know that we're in awe. It's even easier to get distracted and munch on 2-days old chestnuts than you expect. But, hey, all of the good luck to you. You'll need it for taking on that kind of labor of love. However, for those just like us, always wanting to skip ahead to the delicious part without much hassle, let us surprise you. From our online French grocery store, you can buy authentic Marron Glace made by some of the most prized French brands.

Our assortment of Marron Glace includes everything from cognac-soaked candied chestnuts to classic variations. The choice is all yours; all we can do is tell you more about Clement Faugier & Corsiglia - the two of the most sought-after French names on the market.

The famous Clément Faugier dates back to 1882, born when Ardeche's economy was going through a brutal crisis. To solve economical difficulties in the city, Clement Faugier, an engineer, opened up a small confectionery factory to commercially produce Marron Glace. Within a short span of 3 years, Clément Faugier has broadened its assortment with all things chestnut! More than a centuries-old brand combines daring technology with artisanal know-how to make one of the best authentic French Marron Glace. Luckily, you will be able to find them all in our assortment of the fabled brand!

Source: Corsiglia

On Yummy Bazaar, you can also shop for Corsiglia Marron Glace, the company born in 1896! The brand specializes in classic Marron Glace and every other rendition of this moreish French obsession. The brand takes utmost care in selecting only the finest raw ingredients from Turin & Naples. The tempting selection of Marron Glace is made with GMO-free wheat glucose and Bourbon-Madagascar vanilla beans for an exquisite flavor profile. To stay true to the traditional recipe, Corsiglia's Marron Glaces are candied in tulle muslin to fully control the degree of the sugar-absorption and, therefore, effortlessly achieve the perfect texture!

So, if we've piqued your interest in savoring France's favorite treat, we will be glad to be your premier purveyor of Marron Glace. The perfectly soft and ever-so-slight luscious candied chestnuts from France will take your day and culinary repertoire up a notch. So, if you think it's time to taste something exquisitely new, this might be your sign. Scroll through our carefully selected assortment of Marron Glace, pick your favorite rendition or go tried-and-tested classic way. Or, you can always browse your way through and discover all things chestnut and let us deliver your top picks right to your door!