Chestnut flour is a great southern specialty that is slowly making its way into mainstream cooking.
It’s a great alternative to wheat flour, but it does have some unique characteristics that you should be aware of before purchasing.
In this article, I’ll go over where to buy chestnut flour so that you can make your own scrumptious desserts with this unique ingredient!
How to choose chestnut flour
Once you’ve decided to buy chestnut flour, there are a few things to keep in mind.
First, check that the flour is made from whole chestnuts and not ground chestnut meal.
Chestnut meal is fine for making puddings or other sweet treats, but it’s not suitable for baking because it contains too many additives (such as cornstarch).
Next, make sure that the flour has been milled to a fine texture so it will be easier to work with in recipes.
Finally, look at how long ago the package was opened—if it’s been sitting on the shelf too long (especially during hot weather), moisture can seep into your flour and cause mold growth.
If you want to use chestnut flour in your recipes, start by substituting it for a portion of the wheat flour and gradually increase the amount until you’ve reached your desired level of chestnut content.
This is because chestnut flour contains less protein than wheat flour, so if you add too much at once, the result may be tough or crumbly (though this isn’t always the case).
It’s also a good idea to add more sugar or fat if you’re using chestnut flour in place of wheat flour because this will help balance out the difference in protein content.
5 places to buy chestnut flour
Whole Foods
If you’re a Whole Foods shopper, you can find chestnut flour at their stores.
In fact, it’s pretty easy to find this product in any grocery store these days.
However, if you’re looking for specific brands and flavors—like Nutiva or Bob’s Red Mill—you’ll have to look elsewhere.
These are both high-quality products that many people like but aren’t available at Whole Foods.
If you’re looking for the cheapest option, there are many different brands of chestnut flour available online.
Just make sure that you read the reviews before purchasing a product.
Amazon
Amazon is a great place to find chestnut flour, especially if you’re new to the product.
The site carries many brands of chestnut flour and has plenty of reviews and ratings for specific products.
Amazon also has a good return policy, which is useful if you aren’t happy with your purchase.
Finally, Amazon offers competitive shipping rates on most items sold through its website.
In fact, some items are eligible for free two-day shipping or even one-day delivery!
The only downside to Amazon is that it doesn’t carry all brands of chestnut flour.
If you’re looking for a specific brand, it may not be available on the website.
In this case, you can try ordering from another retailer or simply wait until Amazon gets more stock in.
Online specialty retailers
If you don’t live near an Italian grocery store, or if you want to try chestnut flour before buying a whole bag, there are several online specialty retailers that sell it.
Most of them ship nationwide, but be sure to check each company’s shipping restrictions and policies before ordering.
Chestnut flour can be found at most reputable Italian grocery stores, but it’s not always easy to find.
If you’re in a pinch and don’t have time to make the trip out, consider using almond flour instead.
It’s not quite as flavorful as chestnut flour, but it will still give you a delicious pasta dish!
If you want to get the most out of your chestnut flour, use it in recipes where its subtle flavor won’t be overpowered by other ingredients.
For example, it’s great for baking cookies and cakes but not so good for making breads or roux.
Italian grocery stores
If you’re lucky enough to have access to a good Italian grocery store, that’s likely your best bet.
But if you’re not, worry not! You can also check out specialty stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and other health food stores.
If you’d rather not make the trip yourself (or don’t have one nearby), ordering online is another option.
Check out sites like Amazon or the King Arthur Flour catalog for chestnut flour options that fit your budget and needs.
Or maybe you’d prefer to buy straight from the source: some bakeries offer their own blends of gluten-free products made with chestnut flour as well.
Here are some examples of bakeries with gluten-free offerings:
- Humble Bagels (they offer gluten-free bagels, bialys and pretzels)
- Coddles Bakery (they make gluten-free bready donuts)
- Gluten Free Mamma’s Biscuits & Gravy (offers biscuits, gravy and pancake mix)
Ask a local bakery for advice
If you’re in the process of looking for chestnut flour, ask a local bakery.
They may be able to give you recommendations on where to find it and even have some of their own recipes they use.
It’s a good way to learn more about what this ingredient is and how it can be used! If they do have recipes, they can help guide you through making your own baked goods using chestnuts instead of wheat flour.
When looking online, make sure that the brand of flour is organic (if possible).
This will ensure that no pesticides were used during cultivation or processing.
If you want to avoid pesticides even more, try to find an organic brand.
You can also check out the ingredients list for any additives or preservatives that may have been used during processing.
Conclusion
Chestnut flour is a great alternative to almond flour.
It is also a good source of protein, fiber, and iron.
You can buy chestnut flour online or at health food stores in most countries.
Chestnut flour can be used in many different recipes such as cookies and cake mixes.
You can also use it as an egg substitute! We recommend using chestnut flour in combination with other flours such as coconut or almond flour when baking anything sweet because it can overpower delicate flavors like vanilla and cinnamon if used alone.
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