Walnut Caramel Cake

Ingredients

• 250 g flour
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1 tsp lemon zest (unprocessed)
• 1 egg
• 150 g butter
• 75 g sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• soft butter (for the pan)
• flour (for dusting)
• dried legumes
• 1 tbsp whipping cream
• 75 g butter
• 400 g sugar
• 200 ml whipping cream
• 100 ml milk
• 350 g walnut kernels
• 50 g dark chocolate couverture
• 12 walnut halves

Instructions

1. 1.

   Combine flour, baking powder, and lemon zest in a bowl; form a well in the center. Add egg, cubed butter, sugar, and salt, then knead with dough hooks until smooth. Shape into a ball, wrap in plastic, and chill for about 1 hour.

2. 2.

   Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F) fan-assisted. Butter the springform pan.

3. 3.

   Take about two-thirds of the dough, roll out on floured surface to 3-4 mm thickness. Line the pan with it, shaping an edge. Cover with parchment paper, sprinkle dried legumes on top, and bake for ~10 minutes. Remove, discard parchment and legumes, and let cool.

4. 4.

   For the walnut filling, melt 2 tbsp butter with 200 g sugar in a wide pot until caramelized. Stir in remaining sugar and continue until golden brown. In another pot, heat whipping cream, milk, and remaining butter; pour over caramel (watch for splattering). Stir to combine. Roughly chop walnuts, fold into caramel mixture, remove from heat, and cool.

5. 5.

   Spread the cooled walnut mixture on the base dough. Roll out remaining dough to 3-4 mm thickness, slightly larger than pan, place over walnut layer, press edges down against pan rim. Prick top with a fork several times, brush with cream, and bake for ~45 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool.

6. 6.

   Carefully release cake from the pan onto a serving plate.

7. 7.

   For decoration, melt chocolate couverture. Dip walnut halves, flat side down, into chocolate, place on cake pieces, and serve cut into portions.