Rinse off any dirt from the fresh chestnuts.

Place them on a cutting board flat side down. Use one hand to hold down the chestnut firmly, and use another hand to cut through the shell on the rounded side to score an “X” with a serrated knife. Be careful with the knife as the outer shell can be very slippery. (Make sure to cut through the skin, otherwise, the skin won’t curl up during baking. It’s ok to cut right into the chestnuts.)

Repeat for remaining chestnuts. Place the cut chestnuts in a medium bowl.

Bring a pot of water to boil and remove from heat.

Pour the hot water over the scored chestnuts and soak for 1 minute.

Using a slotted spoon, remove soaked chestnuts to a cutting board or plate and then pat dry with paper towels.

Place the oven rack in the middle position and then preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Set aside a rimmed baking sheet.

Add scored chestnuts to the baking sheet in a single layer flat side down.

Cover with aluminum foil.

Roast for about 20 minutes until the peel is curled up and chestnuts are cooked through.

Remove from oven and wrap them in a tea towel (leave them in the tea towel for 5 to 10 minutes).

Start peeling as soon as they’re cool enough to handle. Peel the shell at the “X” mark. If it’s too hard to handle with your fingers, use a paring knife. The inner skin should come out easily with the shell if you use fresh chestnuts. (It’s important to use a clean tea towel to keep them warm so the skins don’t shrink back onto the nuts. If some chestnuts cool off and become tricky to peel, you can pop them back in the oven for a few minutes to warm up.)