If you are a fan of dates and walnuts, then you are going to fall in love with this very simple Date and Walnut Pie recipe which I am sharing with you today.
Its rich and indulgent with a fabulous almond pastry and a wonderful caramel-like creamy date and toasted walnut filling.
In short it is incredibly delicious!
The recipe is one which I adapted from a cookbook by Ken Haedrich, entitled Pie Academy, master the perfect crust and 255 amazing fillings. I have always loved Ken's baking books and owned several of them when I was living in the UK.
This book was a gift from my American friend Cynthia. It is the best pie book around. When it comes to everything about dessert pies, you need look no further than this book, and this recipe I am sharing today is the perfect example of what to expect.
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It is a wonderfully rustic pie with a free form crust. The pastry is an almond pastry and is beautifully short and buttery. It has a lovely nutty almond flavor and crunchiness.
The use of nuts in the dough help to relax the dough, making it very easy to roll at the right temperature. Too cold, and it will crack as will any pastry containing ground nuts.
If you follow the instructions exactly, there will be no problems whatsoever as you can see from the photographs below in the how to section.
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I simply adore dates. Nature's candy, they are filled with fiber and sweetness. In this filling they are chopped and combined with a mixture of rich cream, sugar and vanilla to give you a sweet toffee-like sticky filling.
The use of chopped toasted walnuts helps to cut some of the sweetness and gives a lovely crunch and texture to the filling.
Together, this crunchy caramel filling and short almond crust create a pie that is unabashadly rich and unimaginably delicious.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE DATE & WALNUT PIE
The ingredients are pretty much store cupboard staples around my home. I am hoping they are also store cupboard staples in yours!
For the almond pastry:
- 1/3 (56g) cup whole blanched almonds, toasted or not as you wish, cooled and coarsely chopped
- 2 1/2 TBS sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (210g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (120g) cold butter, cut into half in cubes
- 1 large free-range egg yolk
- cold water
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
For the filling:
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (50g) sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (230g) coarsely chopped soft Medjool dates
- 1 1/2 cups (174g) chopped walnuts, toasted
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 TBS milk for the glaze
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I keep my nuts and dried fruits in the freezer in tightly covered containers. That way they last a lot longer. With only me in the house I don't go through things quite as quickly as I used to when I had a family around.
When I need to use them, I simply bring them to room temperature and proceed.
It is very easy to toast nuts. Simply spread them out on a baking sheet and toast them in a moderate oven for 8 to 10 minutes. (350*F/189*C) Allow them to cool to room temperature before proceeding.
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I had been hoping to use my new pie holder today to showcase this lovely pie. Alas my pie was too large in circumference to fit into it. It is made by a company called Mud Pie and it just the cutest thing. It came with a silver-plated spatula that has the words Piece & Love stamped on it.
I told myself that every now and then I am going to buy myself a prop piece for taking better food photos. This was the first thing I purchased along that line. I fell in love with it and thought it was really cute. At this time of year of course I can use it with the lid to protect my pies, but any other time of year I can just use the base and the spatula. I really love dishes with words on them.
HOW TO MAKE DATE & WALNUT PIE
You can start by making the crust. That way it has time to rest in the fridge while you put the filling together. Using a food processor for this makes things a lot faster and easier.
First make the pastry. Pop the almonds into the bowl of a food processor. (Make sure they are cold.) Add the sugar and pulse until finely ground. Do not overdo it. They will turn into a paste, and you don't want that. Add the flour and salt. Pulse a few times.
Drop in the cold butter cubes and pulse six or seven times until the pieces of butter are about the size of a pea.
Put the egg yolk into a glass measuring cup. Add cold water to equal 1/4 cup (60ml). Add the almond extract and then beat together with a fork.
Pour the egg mixture slowly down through the feeder tube of the food processor, pulsing the machine as you add it, until the dough starts to form large clumps. Tip out onto the counter and form into a ball. Knead gently two or three times to smooth it out. Shape it into a flat disc, 3/4 inch thick. Wrap and chill for at least an hour.
To make the filling, combine the 3/4 cup (180ml) of the cream and the sugar in a small saucepan. Heat gently to a simmer, stirring. then reduce to low and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Whisk in the vanilla.
Have the dates in a large bowl. Pour the cream over top and stir to combine. Leave to stand for 10 minutes. Stir in the walnuts and the cinnamon. Mix all well together. Leave to stand for half an hour.
Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Have a large baking tray ready.
Have a large square of baking parchment on the counter. Dust it lightly with flour and dust your rolling pin lightly with flour. Roll the pastry out into 13-inch circle.
Add the remaining 1/4 cup (60ml) of cream to the date mixture, mixing it in thoroughly. Scrape the filling into the center of your pastry circle. Spread it out to a 9-inch circle. (Take care not to pierce or tear the pastry.)
Fold the edges of the pastry up over the filling all the way around, pleating it as you go. Brush the pastry border lightly with the egg/milk mixture and sprinkle with some more sugar.
Carefully lift onto the baking sheet. (This is really easy to do when you use the baking parchment to just slide it over onto the baking sheet.)
Bake on one of the lower oven racks for 40 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and cool the pie completely.
Serve lukewarm or at room temperature with scoops of vanilla ice cream on top, or whipped cream if that is how you roll!
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I could hardly wait for this pie to cool down enough so that I could dig in and taste it. I sent half of it home with my sister. It is so rich and decadent. She had a taste here at my house and fell in love with it as well.
I just know my father is going to think he died and went to heaven. He loves anything with dates and walnuts. I can't wait to hear later on what he thought of it!
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If dates and walnuts aren't your thing, perhaps you might enjoy some of these other pie recipes:
RUSTIC PLUM TART - I love anything rustic and fuss free. That's why I love this tart so much. Using purchased pastry and a few additional ingredients, you can have a delicious plum tart cooling, ready to be eaten in less than an hour. I love the marzipan that lies like a tasty secret underneath the plums. This will have them coming back for more.
MOM'S BEST APPLE PIE - I know everyone thinks their mother made the best apple pies. I am no different. This is my mother's recipe, and it is a delicious pie. Pure and simple with no bells and whistles. We always loved to enjoy it with a wedge of a good cheddar cheese. Soooo delicious!
Yield: 8 - 10
Date-Walnut Pie
Prep time: 1 H & 15 MCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 1 H & 55 M
This free-form pie is one of the most delicious pies you could ever bake. With its almond pastry crust and rich almost caramel-like date and toasted walnut filling, it is unabashedly rich. This is one for the holidays! A taste of this is like a celebration in the mouth!
Ingredients
For the almond pastry:
- 1/3 (56g) cup whole blanched almonds, toasted or not as you wish, cooled and coarsely chopped
- 2 1/2 TBS sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (210g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (120g) cold butter, cut into half in cubes
- 1 large free-range egg yolk
- cold water
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
For the filling:
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (50g) sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (230g) coarsely chopped soft Medjool dates
- 1 1/2 cups (174g) chopped walnuts, toasted
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 TBS milk for the glaze
Instructions
- First make the pastry. Pop the almonds into the bowl of a food processor. (Make sure they are cold.) Add the sugar and pulse until finely ground. Do not overdo it. They will turn into a paste, and you don't want that. Add the flour and salt. Pulse a few times.
- Drop in the cold butter cubes and pulse six or seven times until the pieces of butter are about the size of a pea.
- Put the egg yolk into a glass measuring cup. Add cold water to equal 1/4 cup (60ml). Add the almond extract and then beat together with a fork.
- Pour the egg mixture slowly down through the feeder tube of the food processor, pulsing the machine as you add it, until the dough starts to form large clumps. Tip out onto the counter and form into a ball. Knead gently two or three times to smooth it out. Shape it into a flat disc, 3/4 inch thick. Wrap and chill for at least an hour.
- To make the filling, combine the 3/4 cup (180ml) of the cream and the sugar in a small saucepan. Heat gently to a simmer, stirring. then reduce to low and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Whisk in the vanilla.
- Have the dates in a large bowl. Pour the cream over top and stir to combine. Leave to stand for 10 minutes. Stir in the walnuts and the cinnamon. Mix all well together. Leave to stand for half an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Have a large baking tray ready.
- Have a large square of baking parchment on the counter. Dust it lightly with flour and dust your rolling pin lightly with flour. Roll the pastry out into 13-inch circle.
- Add the remaining 1/4 cup (60ml) of cream to the date mixture, mixing it in thoroughly. Scrape the filling into the center of your pastry circle. Spread it out to a 9-inch circle. (Take care not to pierce or tear the pastry.)
- Fold the edges of the pastry up over the filling all the way around, pleating it as you go. Brush the pastry border lightly with the egg/milk mixture and sprinkle with some more sugar.
- Carefully lift onto the baking sheet.
- Bake on one of the lower oven racks for 40 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and cool the pie completely.
- Serve lukewarm or at room temperature with scoops of vanilla ice cream on top, or whipped cream if that is how you roll!
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
When I was growing up every Friday night was Hot Dog Night! Occasionally we might have something else, but generally speaking we had hot dogs every Friday night.
My mom made the best hot dogs. People used to wish they could get invited to our home for Hot Dog Night. She had a special electric grill pan that she used to cook them in.
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She always used the soft sided bread rolls that were top sliced. They are very traditional to New England and Eastern Canada. You can get a recipe to make your own here.
Those would get cooked in the grill first. She would butter them generously all over the cut sides and then they would be grilled until toasty golden brown. Then into the oven they would go to be kept warm while she did the wieners.
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The wieners would be slit in half lengthwise, almost all the way through. She would open them out like a book and then they would also be grilled in the grill until they were golden brown.
Tucked into those toasty buttered buns with your favorite condiments and some chopped raw onion, there was nothing tastier on earth. We would each get two, each one being half wrapped in a folded piece of paper towel to keep our fingers from getting greasy.
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Occasionally I still like to have a Friday Night Hot Dog Night, but these days I am more than likely to cook my hot dogs in my air fryer! And I do the whole thing, the wieners and the buns.
It's such a simple thing to do, and they always come out perfectly cooked. The trick to perfection is knowing how long to air fryer beef hot dogs and the temp to air fry them at!
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE AIR FRYER HOT DOGS
It's simple really but for those of you who are new to this, here you go: (Quantities are given for one hot dog, which you can multiply to make as many as you wish. I do not recommend doing any more than four at once.)
- 1 wiener (I like all beef hot dogs
- 1 hot dog bun (I like the top sliced, soft sided buns)
- softened butter
- honey mustard and sweet pickle relish
- 2 TBS grated cheese
- 1/2 TBS French Fried Onions (in the UK Crispy Salad Onions)
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You can use whatever kind of wiener or bun that you enjoy. I happen to love all-beef wieners and do not use any other kind, not ever. And yes, I am partial to the soft sided, top sliced buns.
I like honey mustard and relish on my hotdogs, but you can use whichever condiments that you enjoy. I have never been fond of the taste or texture of ketchup on bread.
I like to add an optional topping of melted cheese and crispy French-fried onions. Here in North American you can use French's or Durkee. In the UK, use Crispy salad onions. They really add a nice touch to the finish!
These are such a simple make. Once you have made your hot dogs in the air fryer, you won't want to make them any other way. They are really no muss no fuss!!
Preheat your air fryer to 400*F/200*C for 5 minutes. (Preheating your air fryer does make a difference.)
Cut a few shallow slashes in the top of your wiener diagonally. (This isn't totally necessary, but something which I like to do.)
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Place the wiener(s) into the air fryer basket. Air fry for 5 minutes.
While the wiener is cooking, open your hot dog bun. Place the honey mustard and relish in the bottom of the bun. Brush the sides with softened butter.
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At the end of 5 minutes, place the wiener into the hot dog bun, placing it over top of the condiments, slashed side up. Sprinkle with the cheese and then the fried onions.
Return to the air fryer basket and air fry for an additional 2 minutes. Enjoy!
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Today I enjoyed mine with a bit of macaroni and cheese. Hot dogs are already a naughty treat for this 60 something year old. In for a penny in for a pound!
I am really enjoying coming to terms with my air fryer. I spend ages thinking about what I am going to do in it next. I have a Kuraidori Air Fryer that I purchased at my local Home Hardware. I started off with a Cuisinart Air Fryer/Toaster Oven. I called it the Cremator.
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Some of the other Air Fryer recipes in my English Kitchen that you might enjoy are:
AIR FRYER REUBEN SANDWICHES - Buttery, crisp and lacking none of the flavors or textures that you would expect in a traditional Reuben sandwich. Sauerkraut, Swiss Cheese, Smoked Meat and Thousand Island dressing. Yummo!
CRISPY HERBED TURKEY THIGHS - With their crispy skin and nice herby flavors I love, love these. One of these turkey thighs and a salad on the side and I am one very happy camper indeed!
Air Fryer Hot Dogs
Yield: 1
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 7 MinTotal time: 12 Min
Instructions are given for one delicious hot dog. Multiply as per your requirements. Quite simply delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 wiener (I like all beef hot dogs
- 1 hot dog bun (I like the top sliced, soft sided buns)
- softened butter
- honey mustard and sweet pickle relish
- 2 TBS grated cheese
- 1/2 TBS French Fried Onions (in the UK Crispy Salad Onions)
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400*F/200*C for 5 minutes.
- Cut a few shallow slashes in the top of your wiener diagonally.
- Place the wiener(s) into the air fryer basket. Air fry for 5 minutes.
- While the wiener is cooking, open your hot dog bun. Place the honey mustard and relish in the bottom of the bun. Brush the sides with softened butter.
- At the end of 5 minutes place the wiener into the hot dog bun, over the condiments, slashed side up. Sprinkle with the cheese and then the fried onions.
- Return to the air fryer basket and air fry for an additional 2 minutes. Enjoy!
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
I have been in love with Mexican flavors for most of my adult life. It was not something which I grew up with. I first encountered Mexican food when I was living out West when I was a very young woman.
I think that the very first thing I cooked for my family was Enchiladas from a recipe I discovered in a Sunset Magazine Cookbook from way back when. The original recipe was for chicken enchiladas, but I used to use it after Thanksgiving and Christmas to make Turkey Enchiladas. They were a real favorite with my family!
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Gradually my repertoire increased to make Tacos, etc. We found a few Mexican restaurants we enjoyed eating at. Margaritas and Chimichangas and Fajitas were real favorites. At first it was a bit of a challenge to cook these things at home, but gradually over time Tex Mex ingredients became more available and it became easier.
When I was living in the UK, during my early days there, it was almost impossible to find Mexican ingredients, but they gradually became much more available, largely due to the efforts of a Chef named Tomasina Miers who won Master Chef one year.
She was really big on Mexican flavors, having travelled extensively in Mexico. I believe she now runs several Mexican restaurants in the UK.
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This Mexican soup, Sopa de Fideos, is a comforting stock-based noodle soup. It is part of the cuisine of Spain, Mexico, Tex Mex cuisine and a part of the Philippines (Cavite.)
Fideo means noodle and the plural is meant to mean noodles, usually a type of vermicelli or angel hair, cut into small pieces. The pieces are toasted in oil and then cooked in a tomato broth seasoned with garlic, onion, and other spices and seasonings.
Like North American chicken noodle soup there are many versions of Sopa de Fideos. This one I am sharing today was adapted from one I found on Eating Well.
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Their recipe included chicken which was poached in the broth and then shredded and added back in. I wanted something much simpler, so I left out the chicken and cut back on the amounts of ingredients needed to make only 3 - 4 servings.
It is delicious. If you enjoy noodle soups and Tex Mex flavors, then be prepared to fall in love with this simple soup! It makes a great light lunch or a fantastic first course for a Mexican meal!
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE SOPA DE FIDEOS
Really simple ingredients. You will find that you probably already have everything you need in your store cupboard!
- 1 (14 oz/420g) tin of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice
- 1 small white onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 large clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 small handful of fresh coriander (cilantro) chopped
- 1 tsp ancho chili powder
- 1/2 tsp dried Mexican Oregano
- 3/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 2 1/2 ounces (75g) Fideo noodles (or angel hair pasta broken into 1-inch pieces)
- 3 cups (720ml) chicken stock or broth
- salt and black pepper to taste
- fresh lime wedges, hot sauce, or crisp tortilla strips to serve
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Cilantro is one of those things that people either love or loathe. Some people find that it tastes like soap to them, and they really don't like it at all. I don't blame them. If it tasted like soap to me then I wouldn't want to eat it either.
If you are one of those who can't stand cilantro just substitute flat leaf parsley in its place. You can also add a bit more oregano than the recipe requires along with the parsley.
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The recipe specified Mexican Oregano. It has a stronger, slightly different flavor from regular oregano. Mexican oregano has a citrus and floral note with a hint of anise. You can substitute Marjoram for it if you don't have it.
Also, the vermicelli. I used Italian noodles called Fillini, which are basically the same thing. What you want is a very thin pasta, like angel hair. You can use angel hair in its place, just make sure you break it up into small pieces.
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HOW TO MAKE SOPA DE FIDEOS
This is a very simple soup to make. You will need the use of a regular blender or an immersion blender.
Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro, chili powder, cumin and oregano in a blender. Puree until smooth.
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Heat the oil in a medium-large saucepan. Add the noodles. Cook, stirring constantly, until the noodles are toasted. (About 2 minutes.)
Add the tomato mixture slowly. It will spatter, so be careful. Cook, stirring, for a minutes. Add the chicken broth. Bring to the boil.
Reduce to a simmer and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, until the noodles are tender.
Serve the soup hot, ladled into heated bowls. Serve with some crisp tortilla strips on top (optional), lime wedges for squeezing and a splash of hot sauce.
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This was my first time making this soup and I can promise you that it won't be my last. It was incredibly delicious! I didn't have any lime to squeeze into it, but I can imagine how much more delicious it would be with that.
I did top mine with some crispy tortilla strips meant to go on salads. They were a bit spicy and crisp. I thought they were really nice on top! I hope you will want to make this soup and that if you do you enjoy it as much as I did.
Don't you just love that fun tablecloth? My friend Victoria sent it to me from California. It was the perfect backdrop! Color filled and exciting! Just like Mexican food!
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If you are a fan of Mexican flavors, you might also enjoy these recipes:
QUICK AND EASY BAKED CHICKEN TACOS - Deliciously quick and easy to make these chicken tacos are a real favorite. I have downsized to feed two people but have put quantities to feed 6 people in brackets.
Sopa de Fideos
Yield: 4
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min
This quick and easy soup is Mexican comfort food. A rich and well flavored chicken tomato broth filled with loads of toasted Fideo Noodles. It's delicious. If you can't get Fideo noodles you can substitute broken angel hair noodles.
Ingredients
- 1 (14 oz/420g) tin of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice
- 1 small white onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 large clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 small handful of fresh coriander (cilantro) chopped
- 1 tsp ancho chili powder
- 1/2 tsp dried Mexican Oregano
- 3/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 2 1/2 ounces (75g) Fideo noodles (or angel hair pasta broken into 1-inch pieces)
- 3 cups (720ml) chicken stock or broth
- salt and black pepper to taste
- fresh lime wedges, hot sauce, or crisp tortilla strips to serve
Instructions
- Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro, chili powder, cumin and oregano in a blender. Puree until smooth.
- Heat the oil in a medium-large saucepan. Add the noodles. Cook, stirring constantly, until the noodles are toasted. (About 2 minutes.)
- Add the tomato mixture slowly. It will spatter, so be careful. Cook, stirring, for a minutes. Add the chicken broth. Bring to the boil.
- Reduce to a simmer and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, until the noodles are tender.
- Serve the soup hot, ladled into heated bowls. Serve with some crisp tortilla strips on top (optional), lime wedges for squeezing and a splash of hot sauce.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
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