Walnut Topping Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar and flour in a bowl; add the butter and blend with your fingertips or a fork until mixed and crumbly.
• Add the walnuts and stir to blend.
• Sprinkle the topping evenly over the surface of baked cakes of your choice.

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, corn syrup and water in a large, heavy saucepan and place over medium heat.
• Stir until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is clear.
• Boil for 2 minutes without stirring.
• Add the walnuts, bring back to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Serve and store at room temperature.
• Stir well before using.
• Variations: Fall Walnut Topping: Add 1/4 cup raisins and 1/4 cup chopped dried figs along with the nuts.
• Process with the recipe as indicated.
• Walnut Whiskey Topping: Add 1/4 cup whiskey to the finished topping.

Steps:

• Mix all but walnuts in saucepan.
• Bring to a boil; cook for 5 minutes, stirring.
• Remove from heat, discard cloves.
• Stir in walnuts.
• Cool.

Steps:

• For the casserole: Generously butter a 3-quart casserole dish. Arrange the bread slices over the bottom of the dish in three rows of 6 slices, shingling slightly.
• Whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large bowl until combined and smooth. Whisk in the milk and heavy cream. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread slices, making sure that all slices have been coated. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 12.
• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• For the crumble: Toss the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. Add the butter and work it in with your fingers until the mixture is crumbly with pea-sized bits of butter. Mix in the walnuts.
• To assemble: Give the bread slices in the casserole dish a gentle push into the custard. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the top.
• Bake the casserole until the top is puffed and browned and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes (it will still be a little wiggly but will continue to cook a bit out of the oven); check halfway through the baking time and tent with foil if the topping is browning too quickly. Serve hot.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, 3/4 cup sugar, and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon.

Steps:

• Stir together nuts and fruit; transfer to a 6-ounce jar. Top with honey.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread 1/2 cup broken walnut pieces on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Mix in a small bowl with 1/4 cup pure maple syrup.

Steps:

• To make the pie pastry, put the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl, stir to combine, then put the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• Add the butter to the flour mixture and toss to evenly coat. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, a food processor, an electric mixer, or your hands, just until the mixture becomes coarse and crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Stir the water and lemon juice together, then pour over the dry ingredients and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
• Dump the dough onto a well-floured work surface and press it into a 6-inch disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Roll the chilled dough into a 14-inch disk, then line a 9 or 10 by 3-inch springform pan with the rolled-out dough. Patch any holes and trim off any dough that hangs over the edges of the pan. Chill for an additional 30 minutes while you prepare the crumb topping and the fruit filling.
• To make the walnut crumb topping, mix the flour, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the butter, then work it in with your hands until the texture of crumbs. Put the topping in the refrigerator while you make the fruit filling.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.
• To make the fruit filling, remove the stem from each fig, then boil the figs in 1 cup of water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Slice each fig into 4 to 5 pieces, put them in a large bowl, and add the apples, pears, and cranberries. Separately, rub the sugar and cornstarch together, then add to the fruit and gently toss until evenly coated.
• Transfer the filling to the pie shell and top with the walnut crumb. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the crumb is golden, the fruit juices are bubbling thickly around the edges, and the fruit is tender when pierced with a wooden skewer. If the crumb is getting too dark, cover it with foil.
• Storage: Covered with a tea towel, the pie will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. Spooned into a bowl and drizzled with chilled cream, it makes a wonderful breakfast.