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Gâteau aux noix du Périgord
Walnut cake
Périgord's moist walnut cake (gâteau aux noix)
Walnut orchards line the Dordogne valley around Sarlat and Périgueux, and after the autumn harvest every farmhouse and market bakery turns the new nuts into this dense, moist cake. It is sold by the slice at Sarlat's Saturday market and eaten in the afternoon with coffee or a glass of walnut-leaf syrup and water, or after Sunday lunch with a spoon of crème fraîche. Ground walnuts replace most of the flour, so it is nutty, slightly bitter and very tender. Chef's tip: toast the walnuts first for 6 minutes; it softens the bitterness of the skins and deepens the flavour.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 7 oz walnut halvesplus 8 halves to decorate
- 4 ½ oz unsalted buttersoft, plus extra for the tin
- 5 ½ oz light brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ⅞ oz plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tbsp runny honeywarmed, to glaze
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (300°F fan). Butter and line a 22 cm round cake tin.
Step 2: Spread 7 oz walnut halves on a tray and toast for 6 minutes, until fragrant. Cool, set 8 halves aside and grind the rest in a food processor to coarse crumbs, pulsing so they don't turn to paste.
8 minStep 3: Beat 4 ½ oz unsalted butter and 5 ½ oz light brown sugar for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in 3 eggs one at a time, then 1 tsp vanilla extract.
5 minStep 4: Fold in the ground walnuts, 2 ⅞ oz plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 1 pinch salt until just combined. Common mistake: overmixing at this point, which makes the cake oily and heavy.
Step 5: Spread into the tin and press the reserved walnut halves around the top.
Step 6: Bake for 30–35 minutes, until golden, firm at the edges and a skewer in the centre comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
35 minStep 7: Brush the warm cake with 2 tbsp runny honey and leave it to cool in the tin. It tastes even better the next day and keeps for 4 days wrapped.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gâteau aux noix du Périgord take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 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 unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of light brown sugar?
- White sugar + 1 tsp honey or golden syrup per 100g.
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