California Walnut Kalakand (Milk Cake)

Ingredients:

  • 5 cups walnuts
  • 1L milk
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 4-5 cardamoms, powdered
  • 1/2 can condensed milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon rose water
  • Chopped walnuts and dried rose petals, to garnish

Preparation:

  1. Roast walnuts in a pan on medium low heat for 3-4 minutes. Let cool, and then coarsely chop. Keep aside.
  2. Line a strainer with muslin cloth over a wide bowl and keep aside.
  3. In a heavy bottom pan, add whole milk and heat on medium high, stirring often. Let milk come to a boil, then turn heat off. Add 1 tablespoon juice, stir. If required, add another teaspoon till milk curdles completely and the whey separates.
  4. Pour curdled milk over the muslin lined strainer. Wash the chena (curdled milk) to rid of the lemon flavor.
  5. Squeeze out a little of the excess water- be careful not to over squeeze else the kalakand will be too dry. Tie the edges of the muslin cloth and let it hang over the sink faucet for 10-15 minutes.
  6. In a pan, add the condensed milk, and chena (curdled milk). Mix and cook on low, stirring often. Cook for 10-12 minutes, till mixture thickens a bit and starts leaving the sides. Do not dry out completely.
  7. Add cardamom powder and chopped walnuts, reserving a few to sprinkle on the top.
  8. Grease an 8-inch pan, and line with parchment paper. Spread the mixture in half of the pan (the kalakand needs to be thick). Sprinkle the nuts and dried rose petals on top. Let set for a few hours, before cutting and serving.


Til and California Walnut Barfi

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon ghee
  • 500ml full fat milk
  • 1/2 cup milk powder
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 3/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 1/3 cup jaggery powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

Preparation:

  1. In a pan over medium low heat, add the sesame seeds and heat 3-4 minutes. They will turn slightly golden and pop. Do not burn. Let cool and coarsely grind them.
  2. Pulse walnuts to make walnut meal. Be careful to not over grind, else you will make walnut butter.
  3. In a heavy bottom pan, heat ghee. Add milk and stir. Let the milk come to a soft boil over medium heat. Add the milk powder. Cook over medium heat, stirring often. Make sure to scrape the sides of pan. Cook for 10-15 minutes, till milk is reduced to half.
  4. Add walnut and jaggery powder, and mix well. Cook for another 5-6 minutes.
  5. Add in the powdered sesame seeds. Mix well. Stir another 2-3 minutes. Add in the cardamom powder and chopped walnuts (reserving a few for the top). Mix well. Stir till mixture thickens and starts leaving the pan and looks doughy. Turn off heat.
  6. Grease a 5” by 7” pan. Line it with parchment paper. Spread the cooked mixture evenly. Top with the reserved chopped walnuts, and sprinkle some sesame seeds. Let set for an hour in the refrigerator. Cut into rectangles and serve.


California Walnut Anjeer Phirni

Ingredients:

  • 12-13 dried figs, plus 3 figs
  • 1/4 cup basmati rice
  • 1/2 cup California walnuts
  • 1L milk
  • 12-15 saffron strands
  • 6-7 green cardamoms, ground
  • A pinch of nutmeg
  • 4-5 tablespoons condensed milk

Preparation:

  1. Soak 12-13 dried figs in warm water for 1 hour. Drain water and grind to a smooth paste – use 2-3 tablespoons of the soaked water if required to make a smooth paste.
  2. Rinse 1/4 cup basmati rice a couple of times in water. Drain and let dry completely on a sheet pan. Once dry add to dry grinder and grind to a coarse consistency. You do not want a powder but coarse semolina texture. Remove, then pulse the walnuts to a walnut meal consistency.
  3. In a thick bottom pan, heat 1L milk. Bring to a boil. Once milk is hot remove 1 tablespoon of milk and add to a bowl with the saffron strands.
  4. When milk starts boiling, add the ground rice and walnut meal, and stir well. Add the condensed milk and stir well. Cook on low heat, keep stirring often.
  5. When the rice granules are almost cooked, add the cardamom powder, saffron milk, nutmeg and the fig paste. Mix well. Let simmer for a bit. Total cooking time is around 25 minutes after the addition of rice.
  6. Transfer to earthen clay pots and let chill in the refrigerator for a few hours. Garnish with walnut shavings, chopped figs and dried rose petals.


Walnut Milk Kheer

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons Basmati rice (washed and soaked for an hour)
  • 1 tablespoon sago pearls (soaked for a couple of hours)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup California walnuts, soaked
  • ½ cup condensed milk
  • A pinch of saffron
  • 1 tablespoon ghee
  • Cardamom powder for flavor
  • California walnuts for garnishing

Preparation:

  1. Soak walnuts overnight and grind them in 2 cups of water to make walnut milk. Let there be no lumps in this.
  2. Heat milk in a heavy bottom pan along with basmati rice. Keep the flame low at all times. Add saffron to the milk and keep stirring the milk to avoid it from sticking to the bottom.
  3. Once the milk is reduced to half and the mixture is thick, add walnut milk and sago pearls to this.
  4. At this point keep stirring the kheer very gently and continuously. Add condensed milk and cook the kheer till it thickens.
  5. Add milk as and when required to keep the kheer like consistency. Add a pinch of cardamom powder to this
  6. Heat ghee in a small pan. Add walnut pieces to this and let it crisp up and turn golden.
  7. Add this to the kheer and serve it hot.


Walnut ladoo

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup California walnuts
  • 1 cup pitted dates
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon ghee/coconut oil

Preparation:

  1. Coarsely blend the seedless dates in a blender without adding any water. Set aside.
  2. In a large pan heat ghee / coconut oil and toast walnuts on low flame till they are gold in colour and are crunchy. Let it cool. Coarsely powder the walnuts. Transfer it back to the pan.
  3. Now add 1 teaspoon chia seeds and roast for a minute.
  4. Add in ground dates and mix well.
  5. Continue to mix this mixture on medium flame pressing the dates with a spatula. This helps dates to mix uniformly with the nuts.
  6. Sauté till the dates start releasing oil. Turn off the flame and let it cool for a minute or till you can handle it. Do not cool completely, then you won’t be able to shape it.
  7. Start making ladoos, and then store the ladoos in an airtight container.


California Walnut Crusted Vegan Bread

Ingredients:

  • 250g California walnuts
  • 150g whole meal flour
  • 150g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 250ml dairy milk alternative e.g. oat milk
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Preparation:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180oC and grease an 8 ½ by 4 ½-inch loaf pan. Set it aside.
  2. Whisk together the unsweetened walnut milk and cider vinegar in a jug, and set it aside for a few minutes to turn into “buttermilk“
  3. Place 200g of the California walnuts in a blender and blend until the walnuts are ground. Then transfer to a large mixing bowl. Sieve the two flours, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in the bowl, and mix together very well. Make a well in the centre of the bowl.
  4. Slowly pour the buttermilk into the well of the dry ingredients, using your free hand to mix the flour into the buttermilk, try and spread your fingers far apart so it resembles a trough. Make sure that there are no dry patches and that the dough is completely wet.


Walnut Christmas Loaf Cake

Ingredients

  • 100g dried mixed fruit
  • 50g dried cranberries
  • 50g California walnuts, chopped +12 walnut halves to garnish
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spice
  • 3 tablespoons brandy
  • 200g butter, softened
  • 200g light brown soft sugar
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 200g self-rising flour
  • 50g marmalade

Preparation:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment.
  2. Place the dried fruits, walnuts, mixed spice and brandy in a small saucepan and cook for 1-2 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. Allow to cool slightly.
  3. Whisk together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy, whisk in the eggs 1 at a time. Stir in the flour and then the soaked fruits, spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool before removing from the tin.
  4. Warm the marmalade with 1 teaspoon water and brush over the cake, top with the walnut halves to decorate.


Walnut Cake with Date Paste and Walnuts

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 3 egg whites (whipped till it forms stiff peaks)
  • 1 egg
  • 50g of oat flour
  • 30g of ground walnuts
  • 60ml of skimmed milk
  • 1 pinch of pink salt
  • Stevia or liquid saccharin

For the filling

  • 100g unsweetened dates
  • 60ml water
  • 10g California walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Preparation:

  1. Soak the dates in hot water.
  2. In a bowl, mix the egg, milk, and flour. Stir well and add a pinch of salt to the sweetener. You can also add a pinch of oregano and black pepper.
  3. Incorporate the whipped egg whites, mixing with encircling movements until no lumps appear.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Pour the mixture on the baking tray, lined with a non-stick base (parchment paper, a silicone sheet, etc.)
  5. In 8-10 minutes, with heat up and down, the dough will be ready.
  6. Take it out of the oven, let it cool a little, and remove it from the silicone base slowly so that it does not break.
  7. Chop the walnuts finely
  8. Crush the dates with a little water until you obtain a smooth dough. Add the cocoa powder and continue to grind so that it is well integrated. Finally, add the walnuts.
  9. Spread the mixture on top of the sponge cake sheet and roll carefully to form a roll.
  10. Wrap in plastic and let stand in the refrigerator for a few hours.
  11. Decorate with melted chocolate and walnuts and serve.


California Walnut Apple Pie

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 20 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup ice water

Filling:

  • 3 pounds granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/2-inch thick
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 cup California walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Topping:

  • 1 egg white, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Preparation:

  1. To prepare crust, place 1 cup flour, butter, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Cream together on low speed until a stiff paste forms. Add remaining flour and ice water and mix beat until a stretchy dough forms that pulls away from sides of bowl.
  2. Divide dough in two pieces and shape each into a 6-inch disc; wrap with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm.
  3. To prepare filling, preheat oven to 220°C.Place walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 5 to 7 minutes or until they’re lightly browned; remove from oven.
  4. Place apple slices on a large rimmed baking sheet and dot with butter. Bake for 10 minutes, then stir and cook for 5 minutes more. Let cool.
  5. Place walnuts in a large bowl with apples, brown sugar, corn starch, cinnamon and salt.
  6. Roll dough 1/8-inch thick between two pieces of parchment or on a lightly floured clean work surface, Drape 1


Caramel Apple Pie Bars

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups California walnuts
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1/3 cup cold vegan butter, cubed
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Vegan Caramel:

  • 3/4 cup coconut cream
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling:

  • 3 1/2 cups honey crisp apple slices (3 medium apples)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper.
  2. Place all crust ingredients to a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds or until only small pieces of walnuts remain and the mixture sticks together when pinched. Set aside 1/3 of the mixture. Press the remaining into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges have started to brown.