Croquettes of Chestnuts

Select four pounds of fine, sound chestnuts; slit them on one side and put them to roast in a large perforated pan; cover and toss at times until done. They may also be cooked by placing them on a baking sheet and then in a hot oven to roast without blackening. Skin them, removing both the skins, and picking out twenty of the finest, pound the others to a fine paste. Add, while continuing to pound, two ounces of vanilla sugar and a little raw cream. Pass this preparation through a sieve and put it into a saucepan, beating into it six egg-yolks, then dry over the fire while stirring. Pour this on a baking sheet and leave till cold, then divide it into parts and of each one make an inch and a quarter diameter ball; in the center of each insert one of the roasted chestnuts split in two; mold the croquettes to the shape of a chestnut, dip them in beaten eggs, roll in white bread-crumbs and fry in very hot clear frying fat; when done, drain and sponge, besprinkle with vanilla sugar and dress on a napkin.