How to Prepare Walnuts

Walnuts are delicious on their own or served with cheese, apples and in sweet, savoury dishes. Scatter them on salads and mix them into sauces and breads. If you have a tree full of walnuts, you are lucky, because apart from being a great snack, walnuts are healthy. They are packed full of Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, which means they protect your heart health, arteries, lower blood pressure and cholesterol and even enhance your brain activity. So enjoy them in as many forms as you possibly can.

Quick And Easy Ideas With Walnuts

• 1

  Make walnut meringues. Whip four egg whites until stiff and work in 180 g of caster sugar in the process. Add one tablespoon of corn flour and 200 g of chopped walnuts. Place teaspoonfuls of the dough on a tray lined with baking paper. Bake at 140°C until golden. Depending on your oven that should take about 30 minutes.

• 2

  Make walnut liqueur. You need 200 g of chopped walnuts, 200 g of coarse brown sugar and 500 ml of brandy. Fill the walnuts and sugar into a bottle or jug and cover with the brandy. Shut the bottle tightly and leave to mature for at least six weeks. Great with ice cream, warm desserts or simply on its own.

• 3
  Walnut muffins are a sweet and nutty treat. two muffins image by Xavier MARCHANT from Fotolia.com

  Make walnut muffins. Whip 200 g of soft butter and 200 g of sugar until pale and soft. Add four eggs and continue whipping. Slowly add 150 g of flour, one teaspoon of baking powder, vanilla essence, one teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 100 g of chopped or ground walnuts. Fill the batter into oiled muffin tins and bake for about 20 minutes at 170°C. To test if the muffins are ready, stick a skewer or pointed knife into the dough. It should come out clean.

• 4

  Make pickled walnuts. You need green walnuts with soft shells. Take 2 kg of green walnuts and pierce them with a sharp instrument. Wear rubber gloves because the juice makes tough stains. Then cover them with water and add 225 g of salt. Leave to soak for a week, then drain and repeat the process. Drain again and let them dry on a tray for a few days. Then cook a syrup of 500 g sugar and one liter of vinegar. Add one teaspoon each of allspice, cloves, ground ginger and half a teaspoon of cinnamon. When the liquid boils, add the walnuts and cook for 15 minutes. Leave to cool and fill walnuts into jars. Cover with syrup. They will keep for a long time.

• 5

  Make walnut candy. Mix six tablespoons of sugar with one teaspoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of cocoa powder and four tablespoons of water or apricot brandy. Heat the mixture until it boils. Then add 200 g of walnuts, reduce the heat and stir until the nuts are evenly coated with the sugar syrup. Keep stirring until any excess liquid has evaporated. Then remove onto a baking tray, separate the nuts with a spoon and leave to cool thoroughly.