Place the chestnut on a cutting board flat side down. Hold it firmly between your index finger and thumb and make a horizontal slit and then turn the chestnut 90 degrees and make a second cut forming an “X.” Make sure to score through the hard outer shell and the fuzzy skin underneath. Do your best not to cut any deeper into the chestnut flesh. Repeat the same process for all of the chestnuts.

Fill a saucepan with cold water and bring it to a boil. Carefully place the chestnuts into the boiling water and cook for 15-20 minutes. The cut part will start opening up as they cook, revealing the fuzzy skin on the inside. To check for doneness, carefully remove one chestnut and peel to check if the yellow flesh is fully cooked. If the pulp is soft and creamy, it is cooked. Remove the pan from the heat once they are all (mostly) open.

Using a slotted spoon, remove one to two chestnuts at a time, as they will be hot. If needed, use a kitchen towel to protect your hands. Carefully peel away the hard outer shell and the fuzzy inner skin, taking care not to break the chestnut. If the fuzzy skin is stuck in the folds of the chestnut, use the tip of a knife or a toothpick to remove it. If the skin is stubborn, return the chestnuts to the hot water for a minute to loosen it, then try peeling again. Once done, you can discard the shells, skins, and cooking water.

Place the now-boiled chestnuts into a colander and give them a quick rinse. Set aside.

To make the sugar syrup, add 2 cups of water and sugar to a medium-sized saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Stir it continuously until the sugar dissolves. This should take no more than 7-9 minutes.

Carefully add the vanilla bean and chestnuts to the sugar syrup. Let them simmer for 10 minutes, stirring once every 2-3 minutes.

Turn the heat off. Carefully remove the vanilla bean and discard it. Put the lid on and let it sit at temperature for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, return the pan to the stove and bring the sugar syrup to a simmer, cooking the chestnuts for 3 minutes. Stir the syrup and chestnuts every few seconds to keep them from sticking to the pan. Once again, remove the pan from the heat, cover with a lid, and set aside at room temperature for 24 hours.

Repeat this process twice, heating and cooling every 24 hours (it should be 4 times in total).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack over it. Preheat the oven to 120F (or as low as your oven can go.)

After the final time, carefully remove them one at a time with a slotted spoon. Let the syrup drip off as much as possible. Spread the chestnuts on the wire rack.

Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven. Bake low and slow for 1 hour*. The chestnuts should be dry and hardened on the outside. If they’re still sticky, turn the oven off, open the door, and leave the chestnuts to continue drying inside.

To serve, individually wrap the chestnuts in parchment paper or cellophane or place them in mini cupcake liners. Gift and/or enjoy.