This Christmas fill the house with the smell of festive baking. California Walnuts has created ten yuletide recipes to treat loved ones to; with tempting ideas bursting with the classic flavours and ingredients of Christmas, there is something for every festive moment.
Treat your visitors to a slice of Ginger, California Walnut and Fig Loaf with their cup of tea. Or bring a taste of Italy with this California Walnut and Fruit Panforte. Panforte is a classic Italian Christmas Cake that is delicious served with coffee or after dinner with a glass of wine.
Start the big day with the aroma of irresistible Cinnamon & California Walnut Chelsea Buns; dotted with festive red cherries the dough can be made the night before then baked off in the morning for the ultimate festive breakfast.
Those looking for a vegetarian main for Christmas Day are sure to impress with the Vegetarian Squash & California Walnut Wellington. And if you don’t fancy Christmas Pudding for dessert, the Christmas California Walnut Mincemeat Lattice offers a festive alternative that is also delicious served with Brandy cream!
The Turkey, Gammon & California Walnut Pot Pie makes a perfect Boxing Day centrepiece. The pastry can be made in advance to save time on the day and leftover turkey and gammon from the big day is the ideal filling. Great as part of a Christmas buffet, the Cheese, California Walnut and Hot Honey Monkey Bread makes a moreish dish to serve alongside continental meats, salads and soups.
For the ultimate nibble to accompany festive drinks try whipping up the California Walnut & Parmesan Biscuits. They also make a thoughful gift, simply tie biscuit stacks in ribbon or place in gift bags. Or if you’d prefer to treat loved ones to something sweet, the Chocolate & California Walnut Truffles are the ultimate home-made gift, but they won’t last long!
Finally, why not bring some festive flavours to snack-time with the Coconut California Walnut Bars, ideal for taking on those long Boxing Day and New Year’s Day walks.
Walnuts are extremely versatile and add great taste and texture to recipes. They have a mild, smooth and creamy flavour, along with a delicious crunch that works perfectly with these festive bakes. California Walnuts are avilable in most supermarkets nationwide. Just look for product of USA or California on pack.
Ginger, California Walnut and Fig Loaf
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45-50 minutes
Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
200g unsalted butter
2 stem ginger, finely chopped + 3 tbsp syrup
100g dark brown soft sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
2 large eggs
200g self raising flour
75g California Walnuts, chopped + 6 whole Walnuts
2 fresh figs, halved
Method:
Preheat the oven to 170oC, gas mark 3. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin.
Place the butter, 2 tbsp ginger syrup, sugar, stem and ground ginger in a medium saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Boil for 1 minute then allow to cool.
Beat the eggs into the butter mixture along with the flour and 75g chopped Walnuts. Transfer to the prepared tin. Top with the halved figs, cut side up and whole Walnuts.
Bake for 45-50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool before upturning onto a cooling rack. Brush with a little stem ginger syrup.
Cooks tip:
Substitute fresh for dried figs when out of season.
California Walnut and Fruit Panforte
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Serves 8
Ingredients:
200g California Walnuts, roughly chopped
100g dried figs, chopped
50g dried cranberries
150g mixed peel
100g plain flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
200g runny honey
75g caster sugar
Icing sugar to dust
Method:
Preheat the oven to 170oC, gas mark 3. Grease and base line a 20cm loose bottomed tin.
Place the Walnuts on a baking tray and roast for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix together the dried fruit, flour and spices in a large bowl, add the Walnuts.
Heat the honey and sugar in a small saucepan until it reaches 115oC with a sugar thermometer (or when ½ tsp dropped into cold water forms a soft ball when squeezed between fingers). Pour into the fruit and nut mixture to evenly coat, then spoon into the prepared tin and level out with the back of an oiled spoon.
Bake for 30 minutes and allow to cool in the tin. Dust with icing sugar to serve.
Cooks tip:
Add a tbsp of cocoa powder to the flour to give a chocolate version.
Cinnamon Chelsea Buns
Prep: 30 minutes + proving
Cook: 30 minutes
Makes 12
Ingredients:
500g strong white bread flour
7g sachet dried yeast
1 tsp ground cinnamon
50g caster sugar
200ml milk
2 medium eggs, beaten
50g butter, softened
50g mixed peel
50g California Walnuts, chopped
Filling
1½ tbsp ground cinnamon
150g light brown soft sugar
125g butter, softened
50g mixed peel
50g glace cherries, chopped
50g California Walnuts, chopped
1 tbsp honey, warmed
Method:
Place the flour, yeast, cinnamon, sugar and 1 tsp salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and mix well. Warm the milk in a small saucepan and stir into the flour with the eggs to form a rough dough. Knead for 5 minutes then gradually add in the butter until well mixed. Add the mixed peel and Walnuts and mix until evenly combined.
Transfer to a lightly greased bowl and cover, leave to prove in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
To make the filling, mix together the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Beat the butter in another bowl until pale and then beat in the cinnamon sugar.
On a floured surface, knead the dough briefly to knock out the air. Roll into a rectangle approx. 40x30cm. Spread with the cinnamon butter to the edges and sprinkle with the mixed peel, cherries and Walnuts. From the long edge, roll up tightly. Cut into 12.
Grease and line a 20x30cm tin, add the buns, cut side up and leave to prove again for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 200oC, gas mark 6. Bake for 30 minutes, covering with foil towards the end if looking too dark. Allow to cool in the tin, then brush with honey.
Cooks tip:
Try swapping the cherries and mixed peel with raisins.
Squash & California Walnut Wellington
Prep: 20 minutes plus cooling
Cook: 30 minutes
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 tbsp oil
500g frozen diced butternut squash
1 leek, sliced (200g)
1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves
300g mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
100g California Walnuts, chopped plus 1 tbsp
50g breadcrumbs
500g pack puff pastry
1 medium egg, beaten
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200oC, gas mark 6.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan and add the squash, leeks and thyme and fry for 5-6 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and redcurrant jelly and fry for a further 5 minutes. Stir in the 100g walnuts and breadcrumbs, season well and allow to cool.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 30x35cm rectangle. Place the stuffing in a line in the middle along the length of the pastry leaving a 4cm border at the side edges. Fold the pastry at the sides over the filling then fold over the rest of the pastry to enclose the filling.
Transfer to a baking tray, seal side down. Brush the surface with egg. Sprinkle over the reserved 1 tbsp chopped walnuts. Bake for 30 minutes until golden.
Cooks tip
Great served with Brussels sprouts and braised red cabbage.
Christmas California Walnut Mincemeat Lattice
Prep: 15 minutes plus soaking, resting and chilling
Cook: 40 minutes
Serves 8-10
For the Walnut mincemeat: Makes approx. 1.4kg
500g dried mixed fruit
150g California Walnuts, chopped
100ml brandy
Zest and juice 1 large orange
2 tsp ground cinnamon
200g pack vegetable suet
200g dark brown soft sugar
1 Bramley apple, cored and grated, approx. 250g
For the lattice tart
50g California Walnuts plus 5-6 whole Walnuts
175g plain flour
100g butter, cold and diced
1 medium egg, beaten plus 1 yolk
600g walnut mincemeat (see above)
1 clementine, thinly sliced
To make the mincemeat, place the fruit and Walnuts in a large bowl with the brandy, orange zest and juice and leave to soak for 1 hour. Stir in the remaining ingredients and allow to soak overnight, stirring occasionally. You can use the mincemeat the following day, or store in sterilised jars for later. (See Cook’s tip).
For the lattice pastry, place the 50g Walnuts in a food processor and finely chop. Add the flour, a pinch of salt and the butter and pulse to form fine breadcrumbs, add in the egg yolk and 2-3 tbsp water and pulse until a soft dough is formed. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200oC, gas mark 6.
Roll out ¾ of the pastry and line a 23cm fluted tin, chill for 10 minutes. Prick the base with a fork and line with a large scrunched-up piece of baking parchment, add baking beans and bake for 10 minutes, remove the parchment and beans and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Fill the pastry case with mincemeat and top with the clementine slices. Roll out the remaining pastry including any off cuts from the base to a 23×15 rectangle and cut into 1cm strips. Arrange these strips in a lattice design over the mincemeat, top with a few whole Walnuts. Bake for 25 minutes until golden. Cool a little in the tin before removing to serve.
Cooks tip
To sterilise the jars, preheat the oven to 110oC, gas mark ¼. Wash the jars in hot, soapy water, rinse thoroughly, then put them on a baking tray (rim side up) in the oven for 30 minutes. To sterilise the lids, put them in a small saucepan of boiling water and boil for 10 minutes. Pack the mincemeat into sterilised jars, pressing down to try to remove any air bubbles. Seal the lids. Store in a cool dark place until you want to use it. It will taste even better after two weeks or so. The mincemeat will keep for up to three months.
Turkey, Gammon & California Walnut Pot Pie
Prep: 30 minutes plus chilling
Cook: 50 minutes
Serves 8
For the pastry:
150g butter
200g plain flour
For the filling:
1 large carrot, finely diced
100g frozen peas
25g butter
25g plain flour
400ml milk
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
250g cooked turkey meat, shredded
250g cooked gammon, shredded
75g California Walnuts, roughly chopped, plus 25g chopped
1 medium egg, beaten
For the pastry, freeze the butter for 10 minutes. Place the flour in a large bowl with a pinch salt. Using a coarse grater, grate the butter into the flour, tossing every so often to coat the butter in flour to avoid clumping. Using a round bladed knife, gradually add 4-5 tbsp cold water until it comes together into a soft dough. Knead lightly, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out to a 30x15cm rectangle and fold down the top short edge of pastry 2/3 of the way down and then the bottom edge up over the top. Chill for 15 minutes and repeat.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Boil the carrots for 3 minutes, add the peas for a further 1 minute and drain well.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add the flour, cook for 1 minute before whisking in the milk and mustard. Bring to the boil, stirring until thickened, season. Stir in the vegetables, turkey, gammon and 75g Walnuts. Allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 200oC, gas mark 6.
Roll 2/3 of the pastry into a 30cm circle and line the base of a 20cm loose bottomed tin, allowing the pastry to come 4cm up the sides. Add the filling.
Roll out the remaining pastry to a 22cm circle and brush the edge with a little beaten egg. Place on top of the filling and crimp the edges to seal. Brush the top with egg and sprinkle with remaining chopped Walnuts. Place on a baking tray and bake for 50 minutes, covering with foil towards the end if looking dark. Allow to cool before removing from the tin.
Cooks tip
Make the pastry and filling in advance. Great served warm or cold with salad.
Cheese, California Walnut and Hot Honey Monkey Bread
Prep: 30 minutes plus proving
Cook: 30 minutes
Serves 10-12
50g butter
200ml milk
500g strong white bread flour
7g sachet dried yeast
2 medium eggs, beaten
100g Stilton, crumbled
150g runny honey
½ tsp mild chilli powder
½ tsp chilli flakes
100g California Walnuts, chopped
Coating
100g butter, melted
150g mature Cheddar, grated
Melt the butter in a small saucepan with the milk and cool until lukewarm.
Place the flour, yeast and 1 tsp salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and mix well. Stir the milk into the flour with the eggs to form a rough dough. Knead for 8-10 minutes. Add the Stilton and mix until evenly combined.
Transfer to a lightly greased bowl and cover, leave to prove in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Meanwhile, melt the honey, chilli powder, flakes and Walnuts until bubbling then set aside.
Knock back the dough and divide into 30 small balls. Grease a large 23cm bundt or savarin tin and drizzle in half the hot honey mixture. Dip the dough balls in the melted butter and roll in a little Cheddar and place in the tin, layer up, drizzling with the remaining hot honey as you go. Leave to prove for 1 hour until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 200oC, gas mark 6. Bake for 30 minutes, covering with foil after 20 minute to stop it getting too dark. Cool in the tin before upturning onto a board.
Cooks tip
Great as part of a Christmas buffet, with Continental meats, salads and soups. Try using shop bough hot honey to save a little time making your own.
California Walnut & Parmesan Biscuits
Prep: 30 minutes + chilling
Cook: 17-18 minutes
Makes 32
50g California Walnuts + 75g chopped
125g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
160g plain flour
1 tbsp thyme leaves
150g butter, cold and diced
1 medium egg, beaten
Place the 50g Walnuts in a food processor and finely chop, add the Parmesan, flour, thyme and butter and whizz until the mixture comes together, like pastry, and is smooth, stiff and well mixed. Do not be tempted to add extra liquid.
Move the dough onto a floured work surface and form it into two neat cylinders about 4cm in diameter. Wrap in clingfilm and chill until firm, about an hour.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4.
Put a piece of foil onto the work surface and add the 75g chopped Walnuts. Brush the cylinders with the egg generously all over the sides (not the ends) and roll in the Walnuts, then transfer to a board or plate.
Line 2 large baking sheets with baking parchment. Slice each cylinder into 16 discs and place on baking sheets, well-spaced. Bake for 17-18 minutes, swapping the trays over halfway, or until golden. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Cooks tip
These make great gifts for Christmas, simple tie piles in ribbon or place in gift bags.
Chocolate & California Walnut Truffles
Prep: 15 minutes plus chilling
Cook: 5 minutes
Makes 20
150g dark chocolate, chopped
150ml double cream
50g butter
125g California Walnuts, finely chopped
Place the chocolate, cream and butter in a large bowl over pan of simmering water and allow to melt. Stir well and cool before putting in the fridge to set.
Divide into 20 using a teaspoon or melon baller and roll into balls with lightly oiled hands. Roll in the chopped Walnuts to serve.
Cooks tip
Great as Christmas gifts in bags tied with ribbon. Try adding 1 tbsp brandy to the mix for extras richness.
Coconut California Walnut Bars
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20-25 minutes
Makes 9
Ingredients:
125g butter
100g light brown soft sugar
100g maple syrup
150g oats
50g rice Krispies cereal
25g desiccated coconut
100g California Walnuts, roughly chopped
50g dried cranberries
50g dried apricots, chopped
2 tsp chia seeds
Method:
Preheat the oven to 170oC, gas mark 3. Grease and line a 22cm square tin with baking parchment.
Place the butter, sugar and maple syrup in a small saucepan and heat until melted and the sugar has dissolved.
Mix all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and stir in the butter mixture to evenly coat.
Press into the prepared tin and level the surface with the back of a spoon.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. Allow to cool completely in the tin before cutting into 9 bars.
Cooks tip:
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Try cutting into smaller pieces, ideal for a snack or in pack lunches.