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Pastries and Cookies, Cakes, Layer Cakes

Walnut Roll

by Karin

Golden brown walnut roll with walnut filling, baked in a loaf pan

4.8 (26)out of 5, 26 ratings

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Prep
10 min
Bake
35 min
Total
45 min
Makes
12

This recipe comes from an aunt who was born in Silesia. At our house, the walnut roll (known in Germany as Nussrolle) is a must in the weeks before Christmas. Loaf pan: about 10 inches (26 cm) long.

Ingredients

Makes 12

Dough

  • 2 ⅓ cups300 gall-purpose flourIn German recipes plain flour means soft wheat flour Type 405 unless stated otherwise. In the US use all-purpose flour; in the UK, plain flour.
  • 2 tspbaking powderGerman baking powder is sold in 15 g packets, each meant for about 500 g (4 cups) of flour. In the US and the UK, use regular baking powder (1 tbsp plus ¾ tsp per 15 g packet).
  • ½ cup100 ggranulated sugar
  • 1 pinchsalt
  • 2 tspvanilla sugar1 packet = 2 tsp (8 g). Sugar flavored with real vanilla, sold in small packets of about 8 g. In the US use 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar for each 8 g packet; in the UK, vanilla sugar sachets from the baking aisle, or 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar per sachet.
  • 1large egg
  • 2 tbspmilk
  • 1 stick plus 1 tbsp125 gunsalted butterGerman butter is unsalted and has about 82 percent fat. In the US use unsalted butter; European-style unsalted butter is closest. In the UK, unsalted butter.

Filling

  • 2 cups200 gground walnuts
  • 6 tbspgranulated sugar
  • 1egg white
  • ½egg yolk
  • 3 to 4 tbspwater

For brushing

  • ½egg yolk

Method

Dough

  1. Put the flour on the work surface, press a well into the center and add all the other ingredients. Knead everything into a dough.

Filling

  1. Stir all the ingredients together.
  2. Now roll out the dough on a floured work surface, as wide as your loaf pan is long.
  3. Spread the filling over it and roll it up from the short side.
  4. Place the roll in the greased pan and brush it with the egg yolk.

  5. Now bake the roll in a conventional oven (top and bottom heat) at 375°F (190°C), depending on your oven, for about 50 to 60 minutes until golden brown.