Chronia Polla,
Chronia Polla, is a Greek wish, which literally means wishing you many years. It i’s used on most occasions where there is a celebration, like today, on birthdays, name days, Christmas, Easter etc, wishing the other person longevity. Today Epiphany day, in Greek Theophaneia and those whose name is Theofanis, Theofania, Photis, Photini, Fani, Theano, Theoni, Ourania, Rania, Iordanis, etc., celebrate their name day.
I chose this recipe today as for a start I always want my first post of the year to be symbolic, so may the days ahead of us be sweet and wonderful as this dessert.
The second reason is that yesterday we went for a quick visit to Sparta for family matters which I do not wish to mention, at least at this moment. The weather was beautiful, sunny all day and I captured a few clicks of Mount Taygettus which was white with snow and was covered with clouds, probably snowing even more.
Today the weather is totally different from yesterday, cold, cloudy, windy, expecting storms and even snow at the northern suburbs of Athens. This morning when I uploaded the photos and was thinking of what dessert to post, I remembered this dessert which I think is very suitable with today’s weather and which I made over a year ago.
For those of you who do not know what a Mont Blanc is, it is a dessert made with meringues and whipped cream, resembling the mountain top of the highest peak of the Alps, which means White Mountain. It is assembled with sweetened chestnuts which are then puréed.
Here is what you will need to make the dessert.
A. Meringues: After making the meringue, I drawed circles with a pencil on the parchment paper and using a piping bag, formed the meringues.
B. Truffles: I made some similar truffles with leftover cookies, which I sandwiched between two meringues.
C. Chestnut puree. After boiling the chestnuts in milk, I pureed them in a food processor adding some quince fruit preserve and syrup from the preserve, until it reached the consistency I wanted. I then piped it on top of the meringue.
D. Whipped cream: Finally, whipped cream was added on top.
Some of us ate it with Quince fruit preserve, others with Spicy Dried Fruit and some preferred it with Chestnut Fruit Preserve.
Other relevant posts:
Xerotigana (Cypriot tradition on Theophaneia)
Marissa
Tuesday 21st of February 2012
That is no doubt a very yummy dessert!
cheffresco
Monday 16th of January 2012
What a beautiful display! And your photo from Sparta is so pretty too. =)
Jamie
Saturday 14th of January 2012
Ivy, wishing you and your loved ones a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2012! And my husband has been asking me to make a Mont Blanc for ages - first time he's ever asked me so I need to make it! Yours looks and sounds delicious!
Cakelaw
Tuesday 10th of January 2012
Happy New Year Ivy! What a luscious dessert - and chestnut puree sounds so decadent.
Peter G
Tuesday 10th of January 2012
Chronia polla Ivy! What a way to begin the new year! I've eaten a Mont Blanc once before and all I can say is kudos to you for making this! It looks spectacular! I'm particularly in love with that chestnut puree! gorgeous!