Nuts is I,  as I fancy baking when it’s 32 degrees outside.  This was fun baking, as it didn’t require the oven.

I first tried these when my aunt, my Mum’s sister started baking them having purchased some sophisticated piece of machinery from the Russians on the market.  2 years ago I purchased one for Mum and one for myself, much simpler though, they look like panini toaster until you open them. Funky, not too expensive. Mum has used hers numerous times since then, mine sat in the attic until today, when I decided it is time to bake the nuts.

The recipe for the dough takes 1,5 tall glasses of flour, 2 egg yolks, 5 tbsps of sugar plus one vanilla sugar, 2 tbsps of sour cream, 75 g of butter, 0,5 tsp of bicarb soda and a splash of hazelnut vodka( optional). This was worked briefly and then made into mini gnocchi shaped things which then went into the nut maker and quickly baked. It takes some feel and some practice to make them small, cute and beautiful, I only started today, so I had to trim the edges on the majority of the nuts shells. Overall, the process is quick and pleasant.

The filling. 125 g of walnuts, which I first toasted ( Mum seemed a bit offended I’m screwing with her recipe, but I prefer nuts roasted first), then ground. 1/4 tall glass of water in the pan, 125 g of butter, half a glass of sugar and some vanilla sugar in, brought to the boil. A tbsp of cocoa. All slightly cooled, ground nuts in. A tall glass of powdered milk in. Initially the filling was a touch too runny, but it set nicely and I was able to transfer in to the piping bag and fill in the shells. I have a feeling they will taste better the next day, when the shells take some of the filling in and soften a touch. Room for improvement in terms of looks, but I’d also try with hazelnuts or maybe even  pecans??????!