Hard shell, delicious core

Chef’s Handyman, Walnut Pie

Last winter I received so many walnuts. Packed in cups there were nice as decoration as well. Today is the day for the hard work. To peel them isn’t easy to do. The core is hard and the seeds have to be pulled out. What a fiddly work to do! The result is to look at, the quality of the nuts is great.

Spring is acting coyly. The cold winter breeze is still here. Therefore the walnut cake is a good choice for that unstable weather, right? The Chef’s Handyman team agrees. 

Walnut pie

To make the dough combine, 450 g  of flour, 100 g of sugar, 1 dash of salt, 2.5 dl of soy milk or milk, 100 g butter or plant based margarine and 1 packet of liquid yeast. Knead all ingredients. Cover the bowl with a humid tea towel. Allow the dough to rest for 60 minutes. 

For the filling, pound 200 g of the walnuts, chop the other 200 g very rough. Caramelize 50 g of sugar in a non-sticking frying pan. Add the nuts, 1 tbsp of cinnamon and a dash of cardamom powder. Combine all ingredients. Add 2-4 tbsp of butter. If the filling is too dry, add more butter or plant based margarine. For sweet tooth, add agave syrup to sweeten the filling. 

Apply butter or margarine in a 9 inch pie form. Roll the half of the dough out. Place it into the pie pan. Press the dough on the border. Add the filling. Roll the remaining dough out. Place the dough on the top of the nuts. Press the border together. Prick the dough with a fork. Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes at 200°C or 400°F. When golden, take the pie out and cool on the wire rack. 

Shopping list for one walnut pie for 4-8 serves, 400 g walnuts, 450 g flour, 150 g butter or plant based margarine, 150 g sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon, 1 dash salt, 1 dash cardamom, 2.5 dl soy milk or milk, 1 packet liquid yeast ,agave syrup. 

Bon appetite, enjoy the walnut pie, yours Chef’s Handyman team.