Clément Faugier French Chestnut Cream — Crème de Marrons

Silky, deeply chestnutty, with Madagascar vanilla behind it and the softness of the marrons glacés folded in. Squeeze it from the tube onto warm crêpes, fold it into whipped cream for a Mont Blanc, stir it into yogurt, or spread it on toast with salted butter.

Clément Faugier founded his chestnut house in Privas in 1882. Three years later, he created his original crème de marrons. The recipe became an enduring French pantry classic: chestnuts, sugar, pieces of marrons glacés and vanilla transformed into a smooth, spoonable cream. The house says the original recipe has remained unchanged since its creation in 1885.

Think roasted chestnut rather than nut butter: mellow, earthy and softly sweet, with a round vanilla finish. The texture is dense and velvety. It is ready to eat straight from the tube—no cooking, mixing or special technique required.

Toast a thick slice of brioche or country bread. Add a generous ribbon of chestnut cream. Finish with a little flaky salt if you like. Serve with coffee or black tea.

Warm a crêpe, squeeze chestnut cream across the center and fold into quarters. Add softly whipped cream and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. For contrast, add a few toasted hazelnuts or dark-chocolate shavings.

Whip 1 cup heavy cream until softly billowing. Spoon into four small glasses over crushed meringue. Pipe or swirl chestnut cream generously over the top. Finish with a piece of dark chocolate or a glazed chestnut. It gives you the flavors of the famous French dessert without an afternoon of pastry work.

Serves 6–8. Fill a cooled 9-inch baked tart shell with a thin layer of chestnut cream. Top with lightly sweetened vanilla whipped cream. Chill until set, then finish with additional chestnut cream piped over the surface. Serve cold. The contrast—crisp pastry, rich chestnut, airy cream—is exactly why this flavor has endured.

Swirl into plain Greek yogurt; spoon over vanilla ice cream; layer into a parfait with mascarpone; spread between cake layers; add to morning oatmeal; pair with pear or apple; or serve beside a cheese board as a sweet autumn accent.

Instant dessert: one ingredient can turn toast, crêpes, yogurt or ice cream into something that feels considered.

No pastry skills required: it delivers a distinctive French chestnut-and-vanilla flavor without roasting, peeling or puréeing chestnuts.

Easy to portion: the tube makes it simple to squeeze exactly what you want and pipe neat ribbons onto desserts.

A useful secret ingredient: keep it for unexpected guests, weekend breakfasts and the moment dinner needs a dessert you did not plan.

Clément Faugier lists chestnuts (50%), sugar, marrons glacés and Madagascar vanilla extract among the ingredients in its crème de marrons. This is sweetened chestnut cream, not unsweetened chestnut purée.

• Clément Faugier Crème de Marrons
• 220 g / 7.76 oz tube
• Made in Privas, France
• Sweetened and ready to eat
• Ideal for toast, crêpes, pastries, yogurt, ice cream and Mont Blanc-style desserts

• “It’s my go-to choice when making any dessert with chestnut purée.” — Michelle Tchea. Editorial review originally published on The Kitchn, November 25, 2023.
• Selected positive excerpts about this product; purchases were made elsewhere. The article discusses Clément Faugier chestnut cream in a smaller tube and also mentions cans; packaging sizes differ.
• Full reviews and context: https://www.thekitchn.com/clement-faugier-chestnut-spread-review-23607980