Walnut cake with halva and almonds

Prep Time 1 12

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 12 45

Course Dessert

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Servings 12

place the small size skillet on the fire
add the honey and heat on medium fire until it starts foaming and the temperature registers 239 F (115 C). Then take the mixture off the heat
Warm the tahin to around 122 F (50 C) and then start mixing the tahin into the cooled down honey. Keep mixing until the mixture is homogeneous and becomes viscous
Meanwhile carefully roast the almonds in a skillet, be careful not to blacken them
Let the almonds cool and cut them in rough parts
mix the almonds with the just produced halva, and place the mixture in a closed container in the refrigerator for at the least a day and a half

Place the butter in a small pan and heat on low to medium. Melt the butter and let it foam and sizzle until the butter starts to brown a little and starts to smell nutty
Let cool. Meanwhile cut the walnuts in smaller parts.
When the butter is cooled, mix in the chopped walnuts and ground cinnamon
Divide the mixture in two and mix one half with the dark sugar such that it is well distributed. The other half we reserve

For the cake mixture bring the butter to room temperature and lightly beat the eggs
Cream the butter and the sugar until the mixture becomes light in color and more fluffy. I use a fork, but you can use a mixer also.
Add the eggs step by step until they have completely been absorbed
Separately mix the flour, the baking soda and a pinch of salt
Add this to the butter-sugar-egg mixture in steps, alternating with the creme fraiche
Take a 10 by 6 inch (25 cm by 12 cm) loaf or cake pan and grease it with cooking oil or butter
place grease proof baking paper inside, sticking out of the sides, which will help to release the cake later
Place half the cake batter in the loaf pan
Place then the buttered, but not sugared walnuts on top
On top of that place inch wide broken pieces of halva
Then place the remaining cake batter on top of that
Finally, top it with a layer of the buttered, sugared walnuts
Place the loaf pan in an oven at 340 F (170 C) for 40-45 minutes. Make sure the cake is done by sticking a skewer into the interior and making sure it comes out clean before taking it out
Let cool down for 20 min, then take it out of the form by holding the grease-proof paper and place it on a rack or a bunch of chopsticks. Then remove the paper and let it cool down completely. Cooling down the cake on a rack or the chopsticks will prevent crumbling.
The cake can be kept for several days in great condition, without having to worry much about the temperature

Method: baking
Food allergy & intolerance information: cream, gluten, nuts

Keyword almonds, cake, halva, tahin, walnuts