Nussschnitte — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A layered bar cookie with a shortcrust base topped with caramelized walnut and honey filling, cut into elegant slices for afternoon tea.

Ingredients

For base: 200g flour
For base: 100g cold butter
For base: 50g sugar
For base: 1 egg yolk
For base: pinch of salt
For topping: 250g walnuts, roughly chopped
For topping: 150g sugar
For topping: 100ml cream
For topping: 3 tbsp honey
For topping: 1 tbsp butter
For topping: 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1 Make shortcrust by rubbing cold butter into flour and sugar. Add egg yolk and salt, mix until dough forms. Press into a lined baking pan and chill twenty minutes.
2 Pre-bake the shortcrust base at 180 degrees for twelve minutes until just beginning to color. Remove and let cool slightly.
3 Combine sugar, cream, honey, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for three minutes until slightly thickened and amber.
4 Stir in chopped walnuts and vanilla, coating them completely in the caramel. Work quickly before the mixture stiffens.
5 Spread walnut caramel mixture evenly over the pre-baked shortcrust base, pressing down gently to form an even layer.
6 Bake at 175 degrees for twenty minutes until the topping is golden and bubbling. Cool completely in pan before cutting into neat slices.

Did You Know?

Walnut trees are so common in Liechtenstein that gathering walnuts in autumn is practically a national pastime, and Nussschnitte is the most popular result.