Walnuts!

Having picked loads and loads of walnuts from our tree this year, I've already made a couple of things with them.

This is bottle of 'Aperitif de Vin et de Noix vertes de Pays'

 Bought from a shop in Lot 46 in Rocamadour

So, having spent quite a few hours already cracking some of them, here's what I've made so far:-

COFFEE AND WALNUT CAKE

175g butter

175g golden caster sugar
65g walnut pieces
3 large eggs
175g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp instant expresso coffee

For the filling:
200g butter
400g icing sugar
2 tsps instant expresso coffee

Beat the butter and sugar till it is light, pale and fluffy in an electric mixer. Set the oven at 180°C/gas mark 4. Meanwhile, line the base of two 21cm sponge tins with greaseproof paper and chop the walnuts. Crack the eggs into a bowl, break them up with a fork and add them a little at a time to the butter and sugar, beating well after each addition.


Mix the flour and baking powder together and mix into the butter and sugar gently, with the mixer on a slow speed or by hand, with a large metal spoon. Dissolve the expresso coffee g in 1 tbsp boiling water, then stir into the cake. Chop the walnuts and fold gently into the cake.

Divide the cake mixture between the two cake tins, smooth lightly, and bake for 20-25 minutes. Mine are pretty much consistently done after 20 minutes.

To make the frosting, beat the butter till soft and pale with an electric beater, then add the sugar and beat till smooth and creamy. Stir 1 tbsp boiling water into the expresso coffee then mix it into the buttercream.

As soon as it is cool, turn one half of the cake upside down on a plate or board, spread it with a good third of the buttercream, then place the second half on top. Spread the remaining buttercream on top or just fill the middle,which is what I normally do as I find it too sweet with both. 



FRENCH PERIGORDINE WALNUT CAKE

This is a very quick and easy cake to make, well apart from having to crack the walnuts that is!

250 g shelled walnuts
120 g unsalted butter
250 g brown sugar
4 eggs (separated)
pinch of salt
Topping: 1 - 2 tablespoons icing sugar, plus extra walnuts for garnish

Preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Grease a 22 - 23cm (9 inch) cake tin and line with baking paper. In a food processor, grind the walnuts until they are the size of breadcrumbs.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pinch of salt, then the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the ground walnuts, stirring in with a rubber spatula until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until you have stiff peaks. Fold one quarter of the beaten egg white into the walnut mixture to loosen it, then gently fold in the remaining egg white, folding as lightly as possible until incorporated.



Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave in the cake tin for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and leave to cool on a cake rack. When cool, sprinkle with icing sugar and garnish with extra walnuts.



This cake improves when kept for a day or two in an airtight container.