Walnut Croquettes – Croquettes aux Noix

Last week I made Walnut Croquettes for the first time ever.  I followed the recipe my Mum got from her friend.  

Croquette comes from the French verb “croquer” which means “to crunch”.  Croquettes are also deep fried minced food shaped into a ball or roll.  Here croquettes refer to crispy sweet biscuits.

This recipe is easy to make and does not require too many and very specific ingredients. I seldom make desserts but I always have sugar, flour, baking powder and vanilla extract in my kitchen cupboard as well as a few eggs in my fridge. I had enough walnuts left (I regularly buy walnuts to add in my bread) so I did not have to go out and do any shopping.  

Before I give you the recipe I need to point out an important thing about these croquettes: they don’t contain any fat!  Yes, this is not only healthy but also economical.  No excuses for not making more and sharing them with your friends.

Walnut Croquettes

Yield: about 50 croquettes

Ingredients:

• 250g four
• 200g sugar
• 1 tsp. (flat) baking powder
• 50g walnut (chopped coarsely)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs + ½ beaten egg for brushing

Steps:

1. Mix baking powder and flour; add sugar and walnuts. Stir well. 
2. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk well until incorporated. When the dough becomes hard (use your hands) and knead it to make a ball.
3. Divide the dough into 4 parts. Roll each part in a cylinder (about ø 1.5cm). They will expand while cooking.
4. Place the rolls on a baking tray with baking paper and brush them with the remaining beaten egg.
5. Bake them in a pre-heated oven at 180-190⁰C for about 20 minutes. (The dough must remain pale)
6. Remove them from the oven and let them cool down for 2-3 minutes. Slice them diagonally with a sharp knife (about 1cm thick.)

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

 

 

 

Next time I will replace walnuts with hazelnuts as my girlfriends (one in particular) love hazelnuts!

Enjoy!