Make a cut in the side of the chestnuts and boil them until “al dente” in lightly salted boiling water. While they are still fairly hot peel them carefully. Arrange them in a pan covered with milk containing the vanilla, and cook very very slowly, until they are nicely tender. Drain and pass through a ricer. Using a wooden spoon, blend the sugar and the rum into the chestnut puree. Adjust the sugar, adding if necessary some tablespoons of milk. Pass the preparation through another ricer with larger holes and pile up the curls of mixture on the serving plate in a pointed mound. Cover with sugared whipped cream, spreading evenly to cover the entire surface of the mound. Garnish with small meringues, pieces of marrons glacés and candied violet.