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1
Soak the chestnuts in very hot water for 10 to 15 minutes.
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2
Peel off the outer shell and inner skin with a knife.
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3
If the inner skin is hard to peel, return the chestnut to the hot water again.
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4
If you soak the chestnuts for a while, the inner skin will soften and become easier to peel.
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5
The peeling is the most difficult part, but keep at it!
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6
You'll be rewarded with the delicious chestnuts you'll get in the end!
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7
When all the chestnuts have been cleanly peeled, soak them in water for half a day to get rid of the bitterness.
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8
You can just soak them for a few hours, but I think they come out nicer if you soak them for half a day.
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9
Put the chestnuts and plenty of water in a pot and start heating.
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10
When it comes to a boil, cover with a small lid that sits right on top of the contents of the pan (a drop lid or otoshibuta; you can substitute this with a piece of aluminium foil) and simmer over very low heat for 15 minutes.
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11
Put the pot in the sink and run water into to cool the chestnuts.
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12
When the water in the pot is cold, fill with fresh water and heat again.
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13
When it comes to a boil, simmer over very low heat for another 15 minutes.
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14
You should be able to break apart the chestnuts with your hands, and they should still be a bit hard when bitten into.
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15
Cool the chestnuts down again under running water as in Step 5, and soak in the cold water until they are completely cool.
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16
Next, put water and the first 100 g batch of sugar in the pan and heat.
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17
When the sugar starts to dissolve, put the chestnuts in gently.
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18
When it starts to boil, turn off the heat.
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19
Leave as-is overnight.
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20
The next day, add another 100 g of sugar and heat until it starts to boil.
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21
Turn off the heat, cover with a drop lid, and leave to cool down and rest for half a day.
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22
Put the last 100 g batch of sugar in the pan and bring to a boil again, then turn off the heat.
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23
Cover with a drop lid again and leave to cool.
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24
When it has cooled down completely, place only the chestnuts (not the syrup) into jars.
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25
Heat the syrup again, bring to a boil, skim off any scum, and pour into the jars over the chestnuts.
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26
When the syrup cools, it's done!
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27
Any chestnuts that couldn't be immersed in syrup can be frozen.
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28
Here's an example of a schedule for making the chestnuts in syrup: Peel the chestnuts in the morning, and leave to soak for half a day to rid of bitterness.
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29
Boil twice, adding the first batch of sugar for the initial simmering.
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30
Leave to rest overnight.
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31
The next morning, add the second batch of sugar, simmer and rest until the evening.
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32
Add the last batch of sugar in the evening.
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33
Put the chestnuts in jars later that night.
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34
This way you can do all 3 sugar additions in 2 days.
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35
If you remove crumbled chestnuts as you go, the syrup won't become cloudy.
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36
Cut off any discolored bits too, if you notice them.
