THE INGREDIENTS ☆✩✩

Looking for something different to make this Christmas I found this rather unusual cake. 

It is made with cooked chestnuts and no flour involved. I'm trying it today ...

Anatoltorte (from country living UK December 2003 page 136)

✩ for the cake

150g unsalted butter, softened

150g icing sugar

5 eggs, separated

210g sieved, cooked chestnuts

30g grated dark chocolate

✩ for the cream

3 egg yolks

100g icing sugar

3 tbsp double cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

60g plain chocolate, melted

120g unsalted butter

It also takes 5 whole marrons glacés, halved and 12 gold or silver sugared almonds for decoration but since I was unable to find these I will try something else

Line the base of a 23cm cake tin with non-stick baking parchment and butter the sides. Preheat the oven to 160ºC/325ºF/gas mark 3.
To make the cake, begin by creaming the butter and sugar until thick and fluffy, then beat in the yolks one by one, alternating with spoonfuls of the chestnut puree. Beat in the rest of the puree and the grated chocolate. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then slowly fold into the mixture. Scrape into the prepared tin, smooth down and bake for 50-60 minutes until firm to the touch. Cool on a wire rack, then cut in half horizontally.
For the cream, begin by whisking the egg yolks with the sugar, cream and vanilla extract until pale and very thick. Cream the butter until fluffy, them beat in the cooled melted chocolate and fold in the egg yolk mixture to make a chocolate butter cream.
Sandwich the two halves of the cooled cake together with half the cream, then use the remainder to cover the top and sides. decorate with the marrons glacés and sugared almonds if using or create your own festive decoration.