California Walnut and Rose Falooda

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup walnuts soaked in 1 cup water, overnight, plus extra for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon rose syrup + 2 tablespoons rose syrup
  • 2 teaspoon basil seeds, soaked in water
  • 1/4 cup falooda sev (vermicelli)
  • 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
  • Dried rose petals for garnish

Preparation:

  1. Transfer the soaked walnuts to a blender and blend into a rough crumb consistency. Do not over blend, or you’ll start to make walnut butter.
  2. Add 1 cup water and blend for another 2 minutes until liquid is creamy and milky looking. Add 1 teaspoon rose syrup, and blend again. Refrigerate till ready to use.
  3. Boil 3 cups water. Cook the falooda sev as per the package instructions. Pour in a colander and rinse in cold water, drain all the water, and set aside.
  4. Add 1-2 tablespoons of rose syrup per glass at the bottom. Add 2 tablespoons of soaked basil seeds. 5. Add a layer of the cooked falooda sev. Sprinkle some chopped walnuts. Add the chilled rose walnut milk. Scoop vanilla ice cream on top. Garnish with rose petals and chopped walnuts. Serve immediately.


California Walnut and Saffron Lassi Popsicles

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 8-10 walnut pieces, plus few extra chopped for mixing in the popsicle mould
  • A few strands of saffron, soaked in warm milk
  • 3 tablespoons honey (adjust as per your preference)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

Preparation:

  1. In a blender add the walnut pieces and pulse them to coarse powder. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend all together.
  2. Pour half of your lassi mixture in your popsicle mould. Add few chopped pieces of walnut, top with the rest of the mixture. Place sticks, and freeze overnight.


Mango And California Walnut Shrikhand

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup mango pulp (from 2 mangoes)
  • 2 cups hung curd or Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • A few strands of saffron
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup walnuts, soaked overnight

Preparation:

  1. Soak walnuts in some water, and keep overnight.
  2. Place a sieve over a bowl and line it with muslin cloth. Place 3 cups curd in the muslin cloth, and bring the edges of the muslin cloth together and tie one edge tightly around the rest. Place a heavy bowl on the tied muslin cloth bundle. Refrigerate the bowl for 4 hours, or overnight.
  3. Next day, with as little water possible grind the walnuts into a smooth paste.
  4. Soak the saffron in warm milk.
  5. Peel and chop the mangoes and add to the blender with the walnut paste. Puree.
  6. In the same blender with the mango puree in it, add the thick hung curd. Also add, ½ cup powdered sugar, cardamom powder and the saffron soaked in milk.
  7. Blend till the mixture is smooth and even.
  8. Chill the mango shrikhand in the refrigerator and serve in bowls.


BBQ Chocolate & California Walnut Bananas

Ingredients:

  • 4 large ripe bananas, peeled
  • 25g milk chocolate chips
  • 25g mini marshmallows
  • 75g California walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 75g salted caramel sauce
  • Vanilla ice cream to serve

Preparation:

  1. Make long slits along the length of the bananas and place each on a large square of foil, open up the slits and press in the chocolate chips and marshmallows.
  2. Wrap up the foil loosely to seal. Place on a BBQ or griddle pan and cook for 15 minutes until the bananas are soft and the chocolate has melted.
  3. Meanwhile, mix together the walnuts and caramel sauce. Open up the foil parcels and top the bananas with the walnut mixture.
  4. Serve with a small scoop of ice cream to serve.


Quick California Walnut Trifle Cups

Ingredients:

  • 14 English sponge fingers, halved
  • 2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
  • 50g California walnuts, chopped
  • 200g raspberries
  • ½ x 400g can low fat custard
  • 400g fat free Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon clear honey
  • Cocoa for dusting

Preparation:

  1. Mix the coffee with 150ml boiling water. Soak the sponge fingers in the coffee for 5-8 seconds until just soft and place in the base of 4 glasses. Sprinkle over half the walnuts and then the raspberries.
  2. Fold the custard into the Greek yogurt with the honey and spoon over the raspberries. Dust with a sprinkling of cocoa and add the remaining walnuts to serve.


Walnut Stuffed Chocolate Covered Dates

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup walnuts, cut into halves
  • 10 pitted dates
  • 1/2 cup chocolate, melted
  • Flaky sea salt

Preparation:

    1. Prepare dates by making sure all pits are out and they are sliced down the middle, making an easy opening for stuffing.
    2. Place 2 or 3 sliced walnuts into the center of the date, pinching the date closed after stuffing.
    3. Dip the bottom half of the date into melted chocolate.
    4. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt and place on a plate or parchment paper to harden, refrigerate for a few hours and enjoy.


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.