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Chinese walnut cookies
合桃酥 (hap toh sou): crumbly, crackle-topped Cantonese walnut cookies
Hap toh sou are a fixture of Cantonese bakeries in Guangzhou and Hong Kong, sold loose by the catty or packed in red tins for Lunar New Year visits, when walnuts stand for family happiness. They are wide, crumbly and slightly sandy, with a cracked golden top crowned by a walnut half and a gentle sweetness that suits a pot of oolong or pu'er. Traditionally they are made with lard, which gives an extra-short crumble; this version uses vegetable shortening or neutral oil, so it is vegetarian. The top is brushed with beaten egg for shine; milk mixed with a little honey or golden syrup is an egg-free alternative. A common mistake is pressing the balls flat: leave them domed and they crack open naturally in the heat. Chef's tip: toast the walnuts before chopping; it deepens their flavour and keeps them crunchy inside the soft crumb.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2 ⅞ oz walnutstoasted and chopped
- 7 oz plain flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 ⅛ oz caster sugar
- 1 eggbeaten
To finish
- 1 egg yolkbeaten with 1 tsp water; or 1 tbsp milk with 1 tsp honey for egg-free
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (300°F fan) and line two trays with baking paper. Make sure 2 ⅞ oz walnuts are cool after toasting.
Step 2: Sift 7 oz plain flour, ½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda and 1 pinch salt into a bowl.
Step 3: Beat 3 ½ oz vegetable shortening or neutral oil and 3 ⅛ oz caster sugar together for 2 minutes, then beat in 1 egg until smooth.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients and the chopped walnuts and mix gently with a spatula until it just comes together into a soft dough; stop as soon as no dry flour shows.
Step 5: Roll into 16 balls and set them 5 cm apart on the trays. Press a dent into the top of each with your thumb, but keep them domed.
Step 6: Brush the tops with 1 egg yolk and press a walnut half from 16 walnut halves into each dent.
Step 7: Bake for 18–20 minutes, until the cookies have spread, cracked across the top and turned deep golden.
19 minStep 8: Cool on the trays for 10 minutes, as they are crumbly when hot, then on a rack. Store airtight for up to two weeks.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 175 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chinese walnut cookies take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of walnuts?
- Pecans or chocolate chips, same amount.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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