KARYTHOPITA - WALNUT CAKE

Walnut Cake is one of my favourite Greek desserts. It has a light sponge, with the nutty texture of walnuts, dripping in the sweet aromatic syrup that is the trademark of many Greek sweets.

It is easy to make, and is wonderful in the winter, when there are plenty of walnuts in the shops and you feel like indulging in a sweet treat.

Indulge and enjoy.

Ingredients

150g butter
130g caster sugar
4 eggs, separated
4 tablespoons brandy
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
150g self raising flour
275g walnuts, roughly chopped

For the Syrup
310g sugar
330ml water
1 cinnamon stick

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 180C, 375F, Gas Mark 5

Cream the butter until light in colour.
Add the sugar and beat in with the butter.
Add the egg yolks, one at a time, each time beating the egg into the mixture before adding the next yolk.
Add the ground cinnamon, chopped walnuts and brandy and mix together well.

With a mixer, whisk the egg whites, with a pinch of salt, until they are stiff like a meringue.
Using a metal spoon, fold a little of the egg white into the butter mixture. Then add a little flour and mix in.
Do this alternating between the two until all the egg white and flour are mixed in to the mixture.

It is important to do this a little at a time and gently with the mixture, cutting through the mixture with the spoon, to incorporate plenty of air into the mixture which will help to create a light sponge.

Line a baking dish with greased baking paper. The dish will need to be at least 5cm deep as ideally the mixture should be about 4cm when spread in the dish.

Bake for approx 40 minutes, this will vary with all oven types (up to an hour for some ovens), so watch out for the karithopitta to be a lovely golden colour on top and to have risen well.

Remove from the oven and cut into squares or diamond portions.

When it has cooled down, place the walnut cake in a deep container and pour the hot syrup all over the top of the karythopita.
Leave to stand for the sponge to soak up the sweet syrup.

This cake is even better the next day, but keep it covered so it doesn't dry out, that way it will last for several days.

You can decorate the slices of walnut cake with some extra pieces of walnuts crumbled on top of the syrup.

To make the Syrup:
Put the sugar and water in a small saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves.
Add the cinnamon stick and then simmer for 5-10 minutes until the syrup has thickened lightly.
Remove the cinnamon stick before pouring the hot syrup over the cooled walnut cake.

Kali Orexi - Bon Appetit

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