Swiss Walnut Pie Engadiner Nusstorte Or BÜndner Nusstorte Recipes

SWISS WALNUT PIE (ENGADINER NUSSTORTE OR BüNDNER NUSSTORTE)

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients for the pastry in a food processor and pulse until homogeneous; if necessary, add 1 or 2 tablespoon of water.
• With the dough, prepare 2 balls (2/3 and 1/3 respectively of the dough) and keep in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
• Put the sugar, water and honey in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Stir gently to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil and let it continue to boil until it becomes a dark golden color. Stir from time to time.
• Add the nuts and the cream and stir the walnuts until well coated.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and. Set aside to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C Grease a 30 cm tin (heat and timing are basing it on convection oven).
• Roll out the larger ball between two sheets of cling film to a 34 cm circle and use it to line the tin of 30 cm square. Press the edges of the pastry against the side of the tin.
• Scrape the filling onto the pastry. Level the top as well as you can, but don't apply too much pressure, or you may tear the pastry and the filling will leak out. Fold the excess pastry inwards over the filling.
• Roll the second piece of pastry to a neat 29 cm circle. Moisten the edges of the pastry base in the tin with the egg white and position the second pastry circle on top of this. Use a fork to crimp and seal the edges Mix the reserved egg yolk with 2 tablespoon cream and brush the cover. Prick with a fork in several places. If you like, you can score a plaid pattern onto the surface with the fork.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Leave to cool until lukewarm in the tin, then loosen the sides, release the clip and carefully transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool completely.

ENGADINER NUSSTORTE (SWISS NUT CAKE)

Steps:

• Grease a 12" spring form pan and put aside until needed.
• For the filling: Put 12 oz sugar in a frying-pan, fry slowly until the sugar starts to foam, do not stir, because the sugar will get lumpy.
• Next add the walnuts, mix well and remove from the heat before the sugar gets too brown.
• Now add the cream immediately and let it boil down, remove from heat and allow to cool.
• For the dough: Mix the flour, margarine or butter and the remaining 5 oz of sugar, the egg and the salt and make a dough.
• Cut the dough into three peices, two of the same size and one slightly smaller.
• Roll the two peices of the same size to make up a bottom and a top of the cake in a 12" pan.
• Form a roll with the third piece and place it on the sides of the spring form pan .
• Pour the filling evenly on the bottom, and then cover the cake with the top peice.
• Bake in the oven at lower level at 400°F for 40-45 minutes.
• Open the spring form pan immediately after removing from the oven to prevent the cake from sticking to the pan.

ENGADINER NUSSTORTE (NUT CAKE)

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar.
• Mix flour, rind, salt and egg on high speed until a dough is formed.
• Divide the dough into 1/3 and 2/3 parts, wrap well in foil and chill for minimum 1/2 hour.
• In the meantime, heat the sugar for the filling until it caramelises to a very light brown.
• Heat the cream (can be in microwave) and add it to the caramel, stirring rapidly.
• Add the honey, heat until it reaches a rolling boil.
• Add nuts and stir well. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Mix well and allow to cool.
• Roll out the larger of the pastry dough rolls and fit into a greased 24cm springform pan to cover the base and sides.
• Pour in the cooled filling.
• Roll out the remaining dough to form a lid for the cake. Put on top of the filling and join the edges well.
• Paint the top of the cake lightly with whisked egg yolk.
• Cook the cake at about 180 degrees for 50-60 minutes.
• Take the cake out of the oven and allow to cool. Do not remove outside of tin until cool! The cake should be totally cold before serving- I put mine in the fridge on the base, and only take it off the base once it's cold and the filling has set. Otherwise if the filling is still hot the bottom will sag when you pick it up.