Walnut Topping Food

APPLE-RASPBERRY CRUMBLE WITH OAT-WALNUT TOPPING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish or eight 6-ounce ramekins.
• Make the topping: Whisk the oats, flour, brown sugar and salt in a bowl. Stir in the walnuts. Work in the butter with your fingers until evenly moistened.
• Make the filling: Peel the apples and cut into 3/4-inch chunks. Toss with the raspberries, granulated sugar, flour, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.
• Transfer the filling to the prepared dish or ramekins and dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Squeeze handfuls of the crumble mixture and scatter on top of the fruit. Bake until golden and bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Let sit 10 minutes before serving. Top with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

HONEY, WALNUT, AND DRIED-FRUIT TOPPING

Steps:

• Stir together nuts and fruit; transfer to a 6-ounce jar. Top with honey.

WALNUT TOPPING

Steps:

• Mix all but walnuts in saucepan.
• Bring to a boil; cook for 5 minutes, stirring.
• Remove from heat, discard cloves.
• Stir in walnuts.
• Cool.

WET WALNUT TOPPING

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, corn syrup and water in a large, heavy saucepan and place over medium heat.
• Stir until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is clear.
• Boil for 2 minutes without stirring.
• Add the walnuts, bring back to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Serve and store at room temperature.
• Stir well before using.
• Variations: Fall Walnut Topping: Add 1/4 cup raisins and 1/4 cup chopped dried figs along with the nuts.
• Process with the recipe as indicated.
• Walnut Whiskey Topping: Add 1/4 cup whiskey to the finished topping.

CINNAMON-WALNUT TOPPING FOR SOUR-CREAM COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, 3/4 cup sugar, and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon.

WALNUT OATMEAL CAKE WITH COCONUT

Steps:

• Place the oats in a medium bowl. Add the boiling water, mix, and let stand 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-inch cake pan, round or square. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth. Add both sugars and mix until smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix just until combined. Add the rolled oats and mix just until combined.
• In another bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Working in 3 batches, add the dry ingredients to the butter-oat mixture, mixing until just combined after each addition. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out dry and almost clean (a few crumbs are okay), 40 to 50 minutes.
• When the cake comes out of the oven, preheat the broiler to high. Spread the coconut topping evenly over the cake and broil until golden brown, about 2 minutes, watching carefully to make sure it does not burn. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
• In a medium bowl, mix the butter, sugar, and cream. Add the nuts and coconut and mix just until combined.

CHINESE FRIED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Place walnuts in a medium stock pot. Cover with water and boil for 2 minutes. Strain, but do not rinse. Transfer to a bowl, and toss with sugar while still hot until well coated.
• Heat 3 inches of oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When oil appears to shimmer, fry 1 nut to test for heat. Nut should begin to sizzle immediately. Fry 1/3 batch of nuts at a time for 4 to 5 minutes uncovered. Toss nuts before each batch, and repeat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer each batch to a cookie sheet to cool. Season to taste with salt, and break apart when cool.

DEEP-DISH WINTER FRUIT PIE WITH WALNUT CRUMB

Steps:

• To make the pie pastry, put the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl, stir to combine, then put the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• Add the butter to the flour mixture and toss to evenly coat. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, a food processor, an electric mixer, or your hands, just until the mixture becomes coarse and crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Stir the water and lemon juice together, then pour over the dry ingredients and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
• Dump the dough onto a well-floured work surface and press it into a 6-inch disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Roll the chilled dough into a 14-inch disk, then line a 9 or 10 by 3-inch springform pan with the rolled-out dough. Patch any holes and trim off any dough that hangs over the edges of the pan. Chill for an additional 30 minutes while you prepare the crumb topping and the fruit filling.
• To make the walnut crumb topping, mix the flour, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the butter, then work it in with your hands until the texture of crumbs. Put the topping in the refrigerator while you make the fruit filling.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.
• To make the fruit filling, remove the stem from each fig, then boil the figs in 1 cup of water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Slice each fig into 4 to 5 pieces, put them in a large bowl, and add the apples, pears, and cranberries. Separately, rub the sugar and cornstarch together, then add to the fruit and gently toss until evenly coated.
• Transfer the filling to the pie shell and top with the walnut crumb. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the crumb is golden, the fruit juices are bubbling thickly around the edges, and the fruit is tender when pierced with a wooden skewer. If the crumb is getting too dark, cover it with foil.
• Storage: Covered with a tea towel, the pie will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. Spooned into a bowl and drizzled with chilled cream, it makes a wonderful breakfast.