Stuffed nuts
I started making filled walnuts after I found an old walnut mold at my grandmother's house. It's not complicated, but it does require a bit of patience, especially when shaping and filling. The dough comes together quickly and is not sensitive. The cream is dense and flavorful, with plenty of butter, cocoa, and walnut pieces. I love that the recipe is flexible and turns out just as well every time. These are the cookies I make for holidays, but also for a coffee with friends.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours (including chilling and assembly)
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: varies by mold, approximately 1-2 minutes per batch
Servings: 50-60 filled walnuts (depends on the size of the mold)
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: festive cookies (Christmas or special occasions)
Ingredients
For the dough:
200 g lard
3 eggs
100 g sugar
7 tablespoons oil
1 packet baking ammonia
2-3 tablespoons vinegar (to neutralize the ammonia)
1 vial of rum essence
Zest of one orange
Flour as needed (until a moldable dough is achieved)
For the cream:
1 package of butter (250 g)
100 g powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
Rum essence (to taste)
1 tablespoon ground walnut
Filling from the walnut shells (shelled and ground)
Preparation method
1. Prepare the dough: Crack the eggs into a large bowl. Add the sugar and mix for a few minutes until well combined. Add the oil and mix briefly. Neutralize the ammonia with vinegar directly in a cup – you’ll see it foam – and pour it over the eggs. Add the rum essence and orange zest. Incorporate the lard and start adding flour gradually, mixing initially with a spoon, then kneading by hand until you achieve a dough that is easy to shape, neither too hard nor too soft.
2. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. It will be easier to shape after chilling.
3. Heat the special walnut mold (cast iron or aluminum) on the stove. Break off small pieces of dough and form balls the size of large hazelnuts. Place the balls in each cavity of the mold and close the press. Bake on low to medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side, checking occasionally. The shells should be browned but not burnt.
4. Remove the shells and let them cool. If some have puffed up too much, gently hollow them out with a small knife to make room for the cream. Set aside the hollowed-out filling; you’ll use it for the cream.
5. For the cream, mix the softened butter with the powdered sugar until fluffy. Add the cocoa, rum essence, ground walnut, and the filling from the shells (chopped or ground). Mix well until smooth.
6. Fill half of the shells with cream, then stick the other halves together to form the “walnuts.” Don’t overfill them; just enough so it doesn’t spill out when pressed.
7. Place the walnuts in the refrigerator for a few hours to let the cream set and soften the shell. When you take them out, dust them with powdered sugar.
Why I make this recipe often
They keep well for a few days without losing their flavor. They are compact and won’t crumble easily during transport or on a platter. The taste is balanced, and I can fill them with whatever I have on hand if I don’t have all the exact ingredients for the cream. They go well with coffee, but I also pack them for trips.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- Keep the dough in the fridge; it shapes more easily when cold.
- Don’t overfill the mold with dough, or they will be too large or won’t close properly.
- Try to make the balls as uniform as possible to achieve even walnuts.
- Hollow out the shells only if necessary; not all need it.
- Use butter at room temperature for a smoother cream.
Substitutions
- You can replace lard with butter, but the texture will be slightly different, less flaky.
- Rum essence can be swapped with vanilla essence if you prefer a different flavor.
- Ground walnut can be omitted if you don’t want or have it.
- Regular vinegar can be replaced with lemon juice to neutralize the ammonia.
Variations
- For the cream, you can add a bit of apricot jam or marmalade if you want a tangy note.
- For appearance, the filled walnuts can be dusted with cocoa or ground walnuts, not just powdered sugar.
Serving Ideas
- You can serve them on platters with other cookies.
- They are suitable alongside coffee, tea, or at holiday meals.
- They can be packaged in boxes for gifts.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use only butter, without lard, for the dough?
Yes, but they will be slightly less flaky. The texture will still be good, but lard gives the typical tenderness of traditional cookies.
2. How far in advance can I prepare the filled walnuts?
You can make them 2-3 days in advance. They keep well in the fridge and even become more tender after a day.
3. What if I don’t have a special walnut mold?
Unfortunately, you can’t make filled walnuts without that mold, as they need the specific shell shape. You could try shaping small discs, but the result won’t be the same.
4. Do I have to hollow out each shell?
No, only those that have puffed up too much and won’t hold enough cream.
5. What can I do with leftover dough or broken shells?
You can grind them and add them to the cream or use them in other cookies.
Nutritional Values
Estimate for one filled walnut (approximately 20-25 g): 95-110 kcal, 7 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat, 1-2 g protein. The exact value depends on the size of the walnuts, how much cream is used, and the type of fat used. They are calorie-dense, typical for cookies with a lot of fat and sugar.
Storage and Reheating
They store very well in the fridge, in a closed container, for up to a week. They are not reheated; they are consumed directly cold or at room temperature. They can also be kept at room temperature in cooler seasons, but in warm weather, the cream may become too soft. They can be easily transported in boxes if they are already dusted with sugar.
Ingredients: dough 200 g lard 3 eggs 100 g sugar 7 tablespoons oil 1 essence rum 1 packet ammonia 2-3 tablespoons vinegar grated orange peel flour cream 1 pack butter 100 g powdered sugar 2 tablespoons cocoa essence rum 1 tablespoon ground walnut the kernel from shells
