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Engadine Nut Cake (Engadiner Nusstorte)

There are several different recipes for nut cake, but the most famous is probably the one from the Engadine, a valley in Canton Graubünden.

Ingredients for a cake 12 inches in diameter:

• 2 ½  cups sugar
• 2 ¼ cups shredded walnuts
• 1 1/3  cups cream
• 1 tbsp honey
• 4 cups white flour
• 1 cup butter
• 1 egg
• 1 pinch of salt

Oven temperature: 350 degrees

Cake pan 12 inches in diameter, 2 inches deep

Method:

Pastry:

1. Put flour and ¾ cup of sugar into the bowl of your processor and pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse again. Add the egg and pulse to make a ball.
2. Divide the dough into two unequal pieces in the proportion two thirds and one third. Chill in refrigerator while you make the filling.
3. Roll out the larger piece on a floured surface so that it is big enough to line the bottom and sides of the pan. Roll out the smaller piece to exactly the diameter of the pan.

Filling:

1. Put the remaining sugar into a saucepan with a teaspoon of water and heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has turned to deep amber caramel.
2. Remove from heat, add cream and honey, then return to heat and allow to boil for one minute.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the walnuts.
4. Allow to cool.

Assembly:

1. Pour the filling evenly over the pastry lining and smooth the top.
2. Cover the filling with the smaller piece of pastry. Gently lift the pastry from the bottom layer off the rim of the pan, and fold it over the top layer to make a border.
3. Bake in the bottom third of the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the cake is deep golden in colour and feels firm to the touch.
4. Allow to cool.