THE FUSE

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I don’t blame folks for making classics like baguettes, charcuterie, and Brie their primary focus on first, second, and even third trips to France — they really are that good. But the longer I spend in the food lovers’ promised land, the more I learn to appreciate under-the-radar, local ingredients like crème de marrons.

This spreadable, sweetened chestnut paste is a fundamental part of the iconic Mont Blanc pastry. What you might not know is that you can also buy it and use it in your own baking, cooking, and drink-making. The fact that it’s sold in cute, shelf-stable tubes and cans donning an adorable chestnut mascot is just a plus.

Odds are, I would have never stumbled onto this delight without the help of my Parisian host family, but you don’t have to study abroad like I did to find out why it deserves to be a staple in your pantry the way it is in mine.

Crème de marrons is creamy, nutty, and sweet but not cloying — its flavor is reminiscent of Nutella, but its texture is far less dense and easier to spread or pipe, making it a natural fit for topping toast or intricately piping over a Mont Blanc. If that weren’t enough, it has a fun backstory, too.

Hailing from the mountainous, temperate Ardeche region in Southeastern France, where chestnut trees flourish, the paste is an anti-food waste initiative before all else. In the late 1800s, Clement Faugier, the founder of one of the biggest candied chestnut producers in France, had the ingenious idea to transform any chestnuts that were broken or visually defective after candying into something he could still sell by cooking and blending them until no one would notice the difference.

The resulting puree has saved countless imperfect candied chestnuts from unnecessary disposal and unwittingly become just as if not more beloved (and more frequently used) in households all around France. For instance, you’d be hard-pressed to find candied chestnuts outside of the Christmas season, but I’ve spotted cans and tubes of crème de marrons in countless French pantries all year round.

That’s the other thing: The fact that it’s available in tube form is a huge boon for those that have a tendency to leave half-used cans to rot in their fridge (don’t look at me!). As long as you make sure to close it tightly, you probably don’t have to worry about it going bad before you have a chance to use it all up.

There are so many great applications for crème de marrons, but my favorite come winter is in a piping hot mug of cocoa. After I’ve warmed my milk with cocoa powder and a few squares of milk or dark chocolate, I like to whisk a few tablespoons in at the last second — the puree’s mousse-like texture adds a luxurious foam that can deflate if it spends too much time over heat. If I’m feeling particularly ambitious, I’ll even add a spoonful of the stuff to homemade whipped cream for topping the drink so that there’s a bit of chestnut in every sip.

That’s not the only beverage where you should put it to work. It would be right at home in a mocha, or even a classic latte or cappuccino, and could also be a nice way to add sweetness to classic cocktails — like in an old-fashioned where its earthy undertones will complement the whisky, or where its creaminess will be a welcome addition, like in a white Russian.

It’s obviously designed for all things dessert (try it atop a bowl of vanilla ice cream or in a milkshake and never look back), but that doesn’t mean you should discount its potential in savory dishes. It’s not overly sweet, so it can help round out a sauce or salad dressing without overpowering the salty ingredients at play. So far, I’ve had success including it in a balsamic-Dijon vinaigrette, and in red wine sauces for steak and pork. I can’t wait to see all the other places this little tube of heaven takes me.

Buy: Clement Faugier Creme de Marrons, $7.60 for 2.75 ounces at Amazon

What’s the pantry staple more people need to know about? Tell us in the comments below.