No Bake Walnut Cocoa Cherry Bars

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup pitted dates (about 12)
  • 1/2 cup shelled walnuts
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened dried cherries
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

  1. In a large food processor bowl, combine oats, dates, walnuts, cherries, cocoa powder and salt. Process for 1-2 minutes, or until mixture resembles a crumbly dough.
  2. Turn mixture onto wax paper and shape evenly into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle.
  3. Chill at least 1 hour and cut into 9 bars. Bars do not need to be stored in the refrigerator.


Walnut Carrot Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

  • 200 g of wheat flower
  • 200 g of grated carrots
  • 200 g of brown sugar
  • 150 ml sunflower oil
  • 80 g of walnuts
  • 3 eggs
  • 20 g of walnut flour
  • 1 packet of royal yeast
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Nutmeg powder

Preparation:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
  2. Arrange eggs together with sugar, wheat flour and walnut flour, yeast and sunflower oil in a bowl.
  3. Beat well until smooth and lump-free. At this point, add the shredded carrot, cinnamon and nutmeg to taste, in addition to the crumbled walnuts. Mix well until all the ingredients are well-integrated.
  4. Line a pan with baking paper and pour the dough into it. Place the pan in the oven and cook the cake for 20 minutes. After time, check if it is cooked by poking it with a knife and checking that the knife is clean, if not, let it cook for a few more minutes.
  5. Allow it to cool before consuming.


Dairy-Free California Walnut Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

Rice Pudding

  • 1 cup short grain or medium grain rice
  • 1 3/4 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup chopped California walnuts, toasted
  • Fresh fruit for garnish
  • California Walnut Milk
  • 2 cups California walnuts, toasted
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

California Walnut Cream

  • 2 cups California walnuts
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons sugar

Preparation:

  1. To prepare pudding, cook rice according to package directions with water and salt.
  2. While rice is cooking, prepare California Walnut Milk by placing all ingredients in blender until smooth.
  3. To prepare Walnut Cream, place all ingredients in a small blender or food processor and purée until thick and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
  4. Stir California Walnut Milk into cooked rice and add sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until pudding is thickened and creamy. Stir in lemon zest and 1/4th of the California Walnut Cream.
  5. Serve warm or chilled with dollops of remaining California Walnut Cream.


Lemon And California Walnut Drizzle Cake

Ingredients:

  • 100 g California Walnut Pieces
  • 125 g butter, softened
  • 125 g caster sugar
  • 2 lemons
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 150 g self-rising flour
  • 1½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preparation:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and base line a 1 kg loaf tin.
  2. Place 50 g walnuts in a food processor and blitz to a coarse powder, chop a further 25 g.
  3. Whisk the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Whisk in the zest of 2 lemons and then whisk in the eggs, 1 at a time. Fold in the flour, baking powder and prepared walnuts to give a smooth batter. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
  4. Just before the cake comes out of the oven, mix the juice of 1 lemon with granulated sugar.
  5. Chop the remaining 25g walnuts and stir into the syrup. Prick the cake with a skewer several times and drizzle over the lemon syrup. Allow to cool a little in the tin before removing then allow to cool completely.


Walnut Chocolate Macaron Pops

Ingredients:
FOR THE WALNUT MACARONS:

  • 260 g California walnuts
  • 260 g  sugar, powdered
  • 170 g egg whites, divided
  • 250 g sugar, granulated
  • 1/4 cup water, filtered

FOR THE WALNUT PRALINE PASTE:

  • 230 g sugar, granulated
  • 1/4 cup water, filtered
  • 250 g California walnuts
  • 20 g butter, unsalted

FOR THE WALNUT GANACHE:

  • 2 tablespoons sugar, inverted*
  • 2/3 cup milk, whole
  • 370 g 46% milk chocolate
  • 1/4 cup Walnut Praline Paste
  • 1/4 cup walnut liqueur
*Inverted sugar is sweeter and helps products retain moisture and be less prone to crystallization. Inverted sugar may be made by mixing two parts granulated sucrose and one part water, and simmering for 5 to 7 minutes.

Preparation:
FOR THE WALNUT MACARONS:

  1. Preheat the oven at 180°C. Grind walnuts in food processor into fine powder. Sift the powdered sugar and walnut powder. Add 85 g of egg whites into flour mixture and beat until incorporated.
  2. Combine granulated sugar and water in a pot over medium-high heat to make a sugar syrup. In a standing mixer on high speed, whip 85 g of egg whites to stiff peaks. When sugar syrup mixture reaches 120°C, slowly pour it to the beaten egg whites. Reduce speed to medium after 1 to 2 minutes until the meringue is cooled.
  3. Fold the meringue into the flour mixture. Scoop the mixture into a pastry bag and pipe the batter in 1.5-inch circles onto a silicone baking mat. Leave them to dry at room temperature for 15 minutes, then move them into the oven and bake for 12 minutes.

FOR THE WALNUT PRALINE PASTE:

  1. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and heat to 120°C. Add walnuts and cook, stirring continuously, until sugar begins to turn a light brown caramel colour.
  2. Remove from heat and add butter. Spread the mixture on a sheet tray to cool to room temperature.
  3. Place cooled walnuts in a food processor and process until they form a paste consistency. Use ¼ cup of this paste in the Walnut Ganache.

FOR THE WALNUT GANACHE:

  1. In a medium saucepan, heat milk and inverted sugar to 60°C.
  2. In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate. Add the milk mixture and blend until smooth with an immersion blender.
  3. Add Walnut Praline Paste and walnut liqueur. Stir to combine and cook until mixture reaches 35°C. Remove from heat and let cool.
  4. To assemble, sandwich ganache between 2 macarons.


Hot Jaggery And California Walnut Roti

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup plain flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • Oil or butter for greasing

For the sauce:

  • 1 ¼ cup milk
  • ½ cup jaggery
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup walnuts, halves

Garnish:

  • Honey to drizzle
  • Edible flowers

Preparation:

  1. In a bowl, add all the ingredients and mix well.
  2. Heat a non stick pan and add a few drops of oil or butter.
  3. Take a ladle and pour out into the pan to make a pancake.
  4. Cook on both sides. Take out and cool.
  5. In a separate pan, melt jaggery and milk to make the sauce.
  6. Pour the sauce onto the pancakes in a pan and mix in the walnuts.
  7. Garnish with more walnut halves, honey, edible flowers and serve.


Fig, Orange, Cranberry and California Walnut Raw Flapjacks

Ingredients:

  • 100g dried figs
  • 120g California walnuts, plus 16 whole walnuts to garnish
  • 150g oats
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 50g flaxseed
  • 100g medjool dates
  • 40ml maple syrup
  • 60ml melted coconut oil
  • 60g dried cranberries

Preparation:

  1. Grease a small, square, deep sided baking tray with a little coconut oil and line with baking parchment.
  2. Place the figs in a small bowl, pour over enough hot water to cover them and leave to soak for 20 minutes, then drain.
  3. Meanwhile, place the 120g of walnuts and half the oats into a food processor and blitz until they are the texture of course sand.
  4. Add the orange zest, flaxseed, medjool dates, maple syrup, coconut oil and drained soaked figs to the food processor. Process until the mixture comes together into one lump.
  5. Tip the mixture into a mixing bowl and add in the remaining oats and cranberries, kneading them in with your hands.
  6. Tip the mixture into your prepared tray and smooth down with the back of a spoon, pushing the mixture into the corners.
  7. Place into the fridge to set for around 1 hour, or until firm to the touch.
  8. Cut into 16 squares using a sharp knife and place a walnut on top of each square to serve.


Ginger Walnut Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup finely chopped California walnuts
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
  • Cinnamon Glaze (recipe follows)

For the Cinnamon Glaze:

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation:

  1. Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl until fluffy; stir in eggs and vanilla.
  2. Stir together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; add to butter mixture, mixing until thoroughly combined. Stir in walnuts and ginger. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm. (May be prepared up to a week ahead.)
  3. Preheat oven to 200°C and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a portion of the dough, roll out 1/4-inch thick on a lightly floured board and cut into stars or other desired shapes.
  4. Place on prepared baking sheets and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges.
  5. Transfer cookies to a baking rack to cool before coating with a thin layer of Cinnamon Glaze. Store cookies in an airtight container.

For The Cinnamon Glaze:

  • Stir together 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl until smooth.


Blueberry Ice Cream with California Walnut-Granola Topping

Ingredients

  Ice cream:

  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 cups blueberries, pureed
  • 1/3 cup blueberries, fresh (optional)

 Topping:

  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats
  • 3 tablespoons chopped California walnuts
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil

Preparations:

Ice cream:

  1. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Mix milk, cream, vanilla bean, and seeds in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and remove from heat.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until light yellow.
  3. Whisking constantly, slowly pour about a third of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture. Then whisk yolk mixture back into the pot with the remaining hot milk.
  4. Heat over medium-low flame while stirring constantly (mixture should not boil) until it has a slightly thick consistency. Pour mixture into a bowl, cover, and let it cool in refrigerator for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
  5. Combine milk mixture and pureed blueberries, place in an ice cream machine and let it cool for approximately 30 minutes or according to manufacturer’s directions.
  6. Place the ice cream in a bowl and freeze for 2 hours.

Topping:

  1. Preheat oven to 170°C.
  2. Combine maple syrup, California walnuts, rolled oats and coconut oil and spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes until it is crunchy, and then let it cool.
  3. Remove ice cream from the freezer. Take a scoop and sprinkle with granola and blueberries.


California Walnut, Spinach and Feta Baklava

California Walnut, Spinach and Feta Baklava

Ingredients

  • 160 g spring onions, finely sliced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 900 g washed spinach leaves, wilted and chopped
  • 5 banana shallots, finely sliced
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon caster sugar
  • 150 g California walnuts, toasted
  • 20 g fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried mint
  • ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 2 eggs, whisked
  • Ground black pepper
  • 60 g melted butter
  • 9 sheets of filo pastry
  • 300 g feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Preparations

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Sauté the spring onions with a teaspoon of oil until soft, then add spinach and sauté for another minute. Leave aside to cool in a large bowl.
  2. Place the shallots into a medium-sized frying pan with the remaining olive oil, salt, and sugar; sauté over a gentle heat until slightly caramelised.
  3. Place the toasted California walnuts into a food processor and blitz until coarsely chopped.
  4. Add chopped dill, dried mint, nutmeg and eggs into a large bowl with the sautéed spinach, season with ground black pepper and stir to combine.
  5. Brush a 20 cm x 30 cm baking tray with butter and line with three layers of filo, brushing with butter in between each of the layers. Spread over half the caramelised shallots, followed by half the spinach mixture, half the feta and one third of California walnuts.
  6. Repeat the layers using the remaining fillings, reserving a third of the California walnuts.
  7. Finish with a final third layer of buttered filo, trimming the final layer to fit the dish. Brush the top with butter and sprinkle a little water over it.
  8. Place it in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Sprinkle with the remaining California walnuts and drizzle with honey to serve.