Posted on
by 
0 Comments
If you love walnuts, then this walnut tart will undoubtedly be a top recipe for you. It is not complicated to make, as long as you take a moment when making the caramel.
Walnut tart with caramel
A few weeks ago I shared this delicious walnut cake on Instagram. Then I was asked if I could share the recipe. Sure, I thought. But it turned out that the recipe wasn’t even online yet!
Luckily, after a bit of detective work, this was quickly resolved. Because this recipe for a walnut tart is not only very simple, it is also addictively delicious. I think one reader has already made it five times, and although she is no princess in the kitchen (by her own admission), this delicious walnut tart always comes out right.
This walnut tart is made with a delicious – and simple – caramel made from heavy cream and sugar. I think this is a little less critical than a caramel with water, and just as tasty. And while you can find walnuts year round this – for me – is the ultimate fall recipe.
But if you’re up for it there is no reason not to make this in the middle of the summer if you prefer. In terms of walnut recipes this is probably one of my favorite, if not THE favorite!
What do you need?
To make walnut pie, you will need the following ingredients
- Walnuts
- double cream
- brown sugar
- unsalted butter
- all purpose flour
- egg
Remember that the dough needs to be refrigerated for half an hour before you can work with it. The easiest way to make the dough is with a food processor but make sure not to overwork it. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for at least half an hour.
I chose not to bake the dough blind this time, but if you want to make sure the crust is nicely cooked, it is better to do so. For blind baking you place dough in the tin (and always best to use a tart pan or pie tin with removable bottom for ease of use) and cover it with baking paper. Add your pie weights and bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. Remove the paper and the weight and place back in the oven until it is lightly golden. Not too dark as it will be baked again.
Making the caramel
Now the crucial part for baking this walnut pie is to make the caramel sauce. You could even make this into a salted caramel if you want but I kept it sweet. You first heat the heavy cream so it is not too cold. Then add the sugar to a small saucepan. Add about a tablespoon or so of water to get it going a little quicker. Gently heat it until the sugar dissolves. Now watch your sugar like a hawk as it can suddenly darken very quickly. You want that beautiful dark golden caramel color. I always smell if the caramel is almost ready. Once it is you slowly add the warm cream into it while gently whisking. Make sure not to spatter as the sugar is piping hot!
Bring to the boil and let it simmer for a while. Finish your walnut filling by adding the chopped walnuts to the caramel.
Baking the walnut tart
Now once the walnut filling is ready you add the filling to the tart shell that is waiting. I always place the pie tin on a baking sheet to make sure nothing runs out and into the oven (nothing worse than having burned sugar in the oven!)
Roll out the rest of the pastry on a lightly floured surface and transfer the dough to the top of your walnut tart. Brush with some egg wash and place in the middle of the oven for about 40 minutes or until golden brown.
After baking, make sure you let the walnut cake cool completely to room temperature before slicing. The caramel first needs to set and you don’t want it all to ooze out.
To store
The walnut tart will keep for about 4-5 days if you cover it well and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Want to make my favorite walnut pie? Check out the full recipe below!
Walnut tart with caramel
Ingredients
Ingredients for the pastry
- 125 g butter
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 175 g all purpose flour
- 1/2 egg
- a pinch of salt
Ingredients for the filling
- 125 g sugar
- 125 ml double cream
- 125 g walnuts chopped
Other ingredients
- egg wash
Equipment
- Rectangular baking tin with loose bottom
Titel
- Mix all the ingredients for the dough in a food processor or by hand until you have a cohesive dough. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for at least half an hour.
- Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat the cream to a luke warm temperature and set aside. Melt the sugar in 1 tbsp of water and allow to caramelize gently (do not stir as the sugar will lump). When you have a nice golden brown caramel, slowly add the cream while stirring (be careful not to splash). Bring to the boil and simmer briefly. Finally stir in the chopped walnuts.
- Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F)
- Roll out 2/3 of the pastry into a 4mm thick disc and line a greased baking tin. Spoon the filling into the tin and cover with the rest of the pastry. Use a knife to make a few indentations in the dough to allow the steam to escape and prevent the dough from bulging. Brush the top of the cake with the egg wash.
- Bake at 180˚C (350˚F) for about 40 minutes until golden brown.
- Leave to cool and serve with a nice dollop of whipped cream.
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
