Ingredients:

- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- one 1-pound jar of vacuum-packed whole chestnuts (not canned)
- 4 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying

Methods:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2.Sift together the confectioners’ sugar and the salt. Then, in a baking pan, place the chestnuts in a layer and bake in the upper third of your oven for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until the chestnuts feel hot and dry to the touch.

3.Take out the chestnuts from the baking pan and add them to the sugar mixture. Toss them gently to coat and put aside.

4. In a 3-quart saucepan, heat 1 1/2 inches oil over a moderate heat. Test the temperature with a deep fat thermometer until it shows 350 degrees F. Your oil is now hot enough for using. Fry the chestnuts in batches of 8 for about 1 to 2 minutes, or at least, until they turn brown and crisp.

5. And then, with a slotted spoon, transfer the chestnuts to rack to cool a little. Make sure your oil maintains the temperature at 350 degrees F. At the same time, carefully skim off the caramelized sugar from the surface of oil between batches as necessary.