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Nan-e gerdooyi
نان گردویی · Chewy walnut cookies for Nowruz visits
In the run-up to Nowruz, when Tabriz, Tehran and Qazvin families are spring-cleaning and baking for the round of holiday visits, nan-e gerdooyi are among the first cookies to go into the tin. They are made with chopped walnuts held together by egg yolks and sugar, no flour at all, so they bake crisp at the edge and soft and chewy in the middle. A common mistake is grinding the walnuts to a paste; they should be chopped into small pieces so the cookies have texture and don't turn oily. Chef's tip: leave a good gap between them on the tray; they spread to about twice their size.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
- 4 oz icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 7 oz walnutsfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp ground pistachios (optional)to decorate
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (300°F fan) and line two baking trays with baking paper.
5 minStep 2: Whisk the 3 egg yolks and 4 oz icing sugar with an electric whisk for 4–5 minutes, until thick, pale and the whisk leaves a trail.
5 minStep 3: Fold in the 1 tsp vanilla extract, ½ tsp ground cardamom and 7 oz walnuts with a spatula until evenly mixed.
2 minStep 4: Drop heaped teaspoons onto the trays, 5 cm apart, and sprinkle with 1 tbsp ground pistachios if you like.
5 minStep 5: Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centres look set but still soft.
15 minStep 6: Cool on the tray for 10 minutes, then peel off the paper. They keep a week in an airtight tin.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nan-e gerdooyi take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of icing sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of vanilla extract?
- Vanilla bean paste, same amount.
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