Swiss Walnut Pie Engadiner Nusstorte Or BÜndner Nusstorte Food

ENGADINER NUSSTORTE - SWISS NUT TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 175 °C / 350 °F. Grease a 24cm / 9.4 inch springform pan or line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Add flour, sugar, butter, lemon zest , egg and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Using two knives cut into it till you get a crumbly dough. Once the dough is crumbly, use your hands to knead it into a dough. Form a ball and cover with clingfilm. Place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
• In a saucepan, bring sugar, water and honey to a boil while stirring. Boil until the sugar reaches a beautiful light brown color.
• Add the walnuts and give it a quick stir. Stir in the double cream. You'll notice that the walnuts will stick to the sugar and the double cream will look a bit runny. You may think it'll fail now but don't worry. The sugar and cream will start to mix and form a caramel, just give it some time. Bring the mixture to a boil and leave to simmer and turn into a dark golden brown caramel (15-20 minutes). Keep a close eye on the caramel while it's simmering, stir it occasionally. You want to make sure the caramel doesn't burn. When the caramel reaches a nice dark golden brown, thick consistency, take the pan off the heat and set aside to cool.
• Take 2/3 of your dough out of the fridge and put it into a springform, cover the bottom and make the sides 2-3cm / 0.8-1.1 inch high.
• Pour the cooled, thick walnut caramel into the springform and spread evenly over the pastry.
• Take the rest of the dough and roll it out to the size of your springform. Place the rolled out dough onto your filling and flip the sides over the cover and press lightly with a fork to seal the edges. Lightly prick the top of the tart with a fork.
• Lightly whisk the egg and brush the tart with the eggwash. Place the tart in the oven and bake approximately 35-50 minutes, until the tart has a golden color.

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.