Karydopita (Walnut Cake)

You do not have to think hard what to do when you have a lot of walnuts.  What better than a traditional Walnut Cake, which will bring back memories of good old times….

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of semolina
• 1 cup of flour
• 3 tablespoons of baking powder
• 1 cup of crushed walnuts
• 1 cup of ground walnuts
• 1 tablespoonful of cinnamon
• 1 tsp tablespoonful of ground cloves
• 1 cup of butter
• 1 cup of sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 tablespoons of brandy
• 1 tablespoons of grated orange peel
• 3/4cup of milk (or orange juice)

Ingredients for syrup:

• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of water

• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

• Lemon peel

Directions

1. In a bowl place the semolina, flour, the crushed walnuts, the cinnamon and the ground cloves and mix.
2. Beat egg whites until stiff and place in the refrigerator.
3. Beat the butter and sugar until the mixture turns white and fluffy.
4. Add the egg yolks and gradually the brandy and mix for a few more minutes.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture, the baking powder, the orange zest and milk (or orange juice). Fold in the egg whites with a metal spoon and pour the mixture into a buttered and floured 26cm baking tin.  Sprinkle with remaining walnuts on top.
6. Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 180^o for about one hour or until a knife or a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out dry.
7. Prepare the syrup. In a saucepan place sugar, water and lemon peel and boil for 15 minutes, add lemon juice.
8. Remove the cake from the oven and once it is almost cool, pour the hot syrup over it.

Tags: Cakes, Sweets in Syrup