For the pastry
3 cups all-purpose flour
6–8 tbsp lard or unsalted butter
3¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
2–4 tbsp milk
For the filling
12oz (350g) assorted shelled nuts, such as
fresh walnuts, almonds, and pine nuts
½ cup honey
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
grated zest of 1 orange
1 tsp almond extract
confectioners’ (powdered) sugar for dusting
1To make the pastry dough, sift the flour into a bowl. Rub 6 tbsp of the
lard into the flour between your fingers, until it resembles the texture of
breadcrumbs. Mix in the sugar, then add the eggs and milk, mixing until you
have a soft dough. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Make the filling
while the pastry dough is resting.
2Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Place the nuts on a baking sheet, and
roast for 3–5 minutes until golden brown all over, shaking halfway through
to make sure they do not burn. Remove the nuts from the oven, and increase
the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C).
3In a small saucepan, combine the honey with ¼ cup water. Bring the liquid
to a boil. Stir in the 2 tbsp flour, little by little, until you have a smooth paste.
Add the orange zest and almond extract. Coarsely chop the toasted nuts and stir
them in. Remove from the heat, and let cool completely.
4To make the pastries, divide the dough into two equal pieces. Roll out one
piece to form a rectangle approximately 2 x 4in (5 x 10cm) and ¼in (½cm)
thick. Spoon half the nut mixture onto the long side of the pastry rectangles, and
roll the pastry over a couple of times to make a long nut swirl. Repeat with the
second half of the pastry. Use the remaining lard to grease a length of baking
parchment as long as the pastry rolls. Place the baking parchment on a baking
sheet, then place the rolls onto the baking parchment. Cut the rolls into small
squares of roughly ¾in (2cm)—the shapes can be a little irregular. Bake in the
oven for 15–20 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool. Dust
the finished pastries with confectioners’ sugar and serve.
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