Best Walnut Cups Recipes

WALNUT CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line mini muffin pans with paper liners.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter and flour until a dough forms. Roll into 1 inch balls and press them into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared muffin cups.
• In a small bowl, blend together the egg, butter, vanilla and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in walnuts. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups, but do not fill all the way to the top or the mixture will bubble over.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crusts are golden.

GINGER-PEAR SORBET IN SPICED BROWN BUTTER AND WALNUT TUILE CUPS

Steps:

• Combine 3 cups water, sugar, ginger, and lemon peel in large skillet. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to mediumlow. Add pears to skillet; place parchment paper round atop pears, then cover with lid and simmer until pears are tender when pierced with small sharp knife, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; uncover and cool pears completely in poaching liquid in skillet. Transfer mixture to bowl. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
• Remove lemon peel strips and 3 ginger slices from poaching liquid and discard. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears and remaining ginger slices to food processor. Add pinch of salt and process until smooth. Transfer pear puree to large measuring cup; add 1 1/2 cups poaching liquid (reserve remaining poaching liquid). Stir pear eau-de-vie into pear mixture. Transfer pear mixture to ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer pear sorbet to freezer container. Cover and freeze until firm. DO AHEAD: Sorbet can be made up to 3 days ahead. Keep frozen.
• Boil remaining poaching liquid in small saucepan until syrup is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 8 minutes. Carefully strain pear syrup into small bowl and cool. DO AHEAD Syrup can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Place 2 small scoops or 1 large scoop of sorbet in each of 10 Spiced Brown Butter and Walnut Tuile Cups. Spoon small amount of pear syrup over each. Garnish with raspberries and serve.

STEPHANIE SCHRADER'S WALNUT CUPS

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer cream 1 stick of the butter with the cream cheese until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the flour and the salt, and beat the mixture until it forms a dough. Form the dough into a disk and chill it, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 30 minutes. Press rounded teaspoons of the dough into thirty-six 1/8-cup muffin tins and work the dough evenly onto the bottoms and up the sides of the tins to form 1/8-inch-shells.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a bowl whisk together the egg, the brown sugar, the melted butter, and the vanilla until the mixture is combined well. Divide the filling among the shells, sprinkle it with the walnuts, and bake the walnut cups in the middle of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crusts are golden. Let the cookies cool in the tins on racks for 10 minutes, remove them from the tins carefully, and let them cool completely on the racks. The walnut cups may be made 2 months in advance and kept frozen in airtight containers.

DARK CHOCOLATE WALNUT BUTTER CUPS

Steps:

• Line the holes of the muffin tin with paper cases and set aside. Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.
• Spread the walnuts out in a single layer on a baking tray and roast for 12-15 mins, or until fragrant and slightly darker in colour. Tip into a small food processor and blitz in 1-min bursts, scraping down the sides between each burst. When you have a buttery, mostly smooth paste, the walnut butter is ready - this may take 5-10 mins. You don't want it to be completely smooth, as it will become too runny to fill the cups.
• Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Alternatively, do this in the microwave in 30-second bursts. Spoon 1 tsp chocolate into each case, then freeze for 10 mins before adding a spoonful of walnut butter. Push in a few pieces of chopped date, then spoon over the remaining melted chocolate. Freeze for at least another 30 mins, or until the chocolate is firm (the walnut centre will remain gooey), then transfer to a freezerproof container. Will keep frozen for up to a month.

FROSTED WALNUT BROWNIE CUPS

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and butter; whisk until smooth. Cool slightly. , In a large bowl, beat sugar and eggs. Stir in vanilla and chocolate mixture. Gradually add flour; stir in walnuts. Fill paper-lined miniature muffin cups almost full. , Bake at 350° for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For ganache, place chocolate chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool for 30 minutes or until ganache reaches a spreading consistency, stirring occasionally. Spread over brownie cups.

SPICED BROWN BUTTER AND WALNUT TUILLE CUPS

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick silicone baking mats. Arrange four 3/4-cup custard cups upside down on work surface.
• Stir butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until nutty brown and milk solids are dark brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Carefully pour browned butter into small bowl and cool slightly.
• Combine egg whites, sugar, five-spice powder, and salt in medium bowl; whisk until mixture is foamy, about 1 minute. Add warm browned butter, leaving dark brown milk solids behind in bowl; whisk until blended. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour and whisk until blended and smooth.
• Drop batter by scant tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 4 inches apart (about 4 per sheet). Using small offset spatula, spread each to 5-inch round (batter will be spread very thin). Sprinkle generous 1/4 teaspoon finely chopped walnuts over each.
• Bake tuiles, 1 sheet at a time, until evenly golden all over, about 11 minutes. Working quickly and using wide metal spatula, carefully lift each tuile from sheet and immediately drape over custard cup and press to mold to cup, making cookie bowls. Cool until tuiles are set. Carefully remove tuiles from cups and place on rack to cool completely. Repeat procedure with batter and walnuts on cool baking sheets, making total of 12 cookie bowls (to allow for any breakage). For additional cookies, if desired, drop remaining batter onto baking sheets by teaspoonfuls, spacing 2 inches apart, and bake until evenly golden. Transfer to rack and cool. DO AHEAD: Cookie bowls and cookies can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
• *A spice blend that usually contains ground fennel seeds, Szechuan peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise, and cloves; available in the spice section of most supermarkets.

BLUE CHEESE-WALNUT FILLING IN GRAPE CUPS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, break up blue cheese with a fork until creamy; stir in walnuts and honey. To serve, spoon 1/2 teaspoon blue cheese-walnut filling into each grape cup.

APRICOT AND WALNUT PHYLLO CUPS

Steps:

• Special Equipment: a 12-count mini muffin pan
• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the apricots, walnuts, honey, 1 tablespoon orange zest, orange juice, and cardamom, until the apricots are in 1/4-inch pieces.
• Place a sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface. Brush the dough with melted butter. Place another sheet of dough on top and brush with melted butter. Repeat with remaining dough and melted butter. Using a sharp knife, trim the pastry into a 12 by 9-inch rectangle. Cut the dough into 12 (3-inch) square pieces. Gently press each piece of dough into the muffin pan. Spoon the apricot filling into the cups. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the pastry is golden. Remove from the oven and let the phyllo cups cool for 10 minutes. Using a dessert spoon or a small spatula, remove the phyllo cups from the pan. Place on a rack and cool completely.
• Arrange the phyllo cups on a platter, garnish with orange zest, if using, and serve. Or, store in an airtight plastic container for up to 4 days.

APRICOT WALNUT FILO CUPS

Steps:

• Special Equipment: a 12-count mini muffin pan In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the apricots, walnuts, honey, 1 tablespoon orange zest, orange juice, and cardamom, until the apricots are in 1/4-inch pieces. Place a sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface. Brush the dough with melted butter. Place another sheet of dough on top and brush with melted butter. Repeat with remaining dough and melted butter. Using a sharp knife, trim the pastry into a 12 by 9-inch rectangle. Cut the dough into 12 (3-inch) square pieces. Gently press each piece of dough into the muffin pan. Spoon the apricot filling into the cups. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the pastry is golden. Remove from the oven and let the phyllo cups cool for 10 minutes. Using a dessert spoon or a small spatula, remove the phyllo cups from the pan. Place on a rack and cool completely. Arrange the phyllo cups on a platter, garnish with orange zest, if using, and serve. Or, store in an airtight plastic container for up to 4 days.

CHARRED CHICORY CUPS & WALNUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Start by making the brittle. Brush the oil over a baking tray, then tip the sugar into a frying pan. Put the pan over a medium-high heat to melt the sugar, swirling the pan occasionally to ensure it melts evenly - but don't stir or it will crystallise. When it starts to look like golden syrup, add the walnuts, caraway seeds and fennel seeds. Stir briefly to coat the walnuts in the molten sugar, then swiftly and very carefully pour it onto the greased tray. Leave to cool for 10 mins, then chop into small pieces.
• In a bowl, beat together the cheeses with a wooden spoon until smooth. Transfer to a disposable piping bag and keep in a cool place until needed.
• Remove the outer leaves from the chicory heads. Carefully pick off the remaining leaves until you have 20-25 nice ones (keep the core to make the syrup, for the Chicory Collins cocktails, if you like).
• Put 6-8 of the chicory leaves, curved-side up, in a large, non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Let them sit for 1-2 mins or until the very edges start to char. Take them out of the pan with tongs and leave to cool on a large platter, curvedside down. Repeat until all the chicory leaves have been toasted.
• Toast the butternut squash, a small handful at a time, in the same non-stick pan. Cook for 2-3 mins or until the squash feels drier and is just starting to turn dark brown at the very edges. Transfer to a plate and repeat until all the butternut squash has been cooked.
• To assemble the canapés, snip the end off the piping bag to create a round nozzle, then pipe a small blob of the cheese mixture into each chicory cup. Add a generous pinch of the butternut squash, and top with one or two pieces of pickled walnut. Pipe another blob of the cheese mixture onto each one, and scatter over the pieces of brittle. Finally, scatter over the green chillies and serve.

WALNUT CUPS

Steps:

• 1st make dough - mix all together and roll into 48 balls - press each ball into mini cup pans - do not grease the pan 2nd make filling - Mix all ingredients together - spoon into dough cups - Bake 350F for 35-40 minutes - Cool

FROSTED WALNUT BROWNIE CUPS RECIPE

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and butter; whisk until smooth. Cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, beat sugar and eggs. Stir in vanilla and chocolate mixture. Gradually add flour; stir in walnuts. Fill paper-lined miniature muffin cups almost full.
• Bake at 350° for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• Place chocolate chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool for 30 minutes or until ganache reaches a spreading consistency, stirring occasionally. Spread over brownies. Yield: 32 brownie cups.
• Originally published as Frosted Walnut Brownie Cups in Taste of Home Winning Recipes 3 p287

SUGARED WALNUT SUNDAES IN CHOCOLATE CUPS

Steps:

• Sugared Walnuts: In a deep saucepan, combine the sugar, water, orange zest and cinnamon and bring to a boil. Add the walnuts and simmer, stirring, as the water evaporates. The glaze will be shiny and transparent at first, then turn opaque as the water cooks away. When the nuts are completely coated with sugar crystals, they are done. Spread them out on a sheet pan to cool. (To wash the saucepan, soak it overnight.) The walnuts can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and stored in an airtight container.
• Sundae Cups: Spread the toasted walnuts out on a plate. Dip the rims of 6 coffee cups or mugs into the melted chocolate, then into the chopped walnuts. Turn them right side up and set aside. Dip 6 teaspoons in the chocolate and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Let the cups and spoons cool at room temperature until set, about 2 hours. The cups can be made up to 2 days in advance.
• To assemble sundae, scoop ice cream into each chocolate-dipped coffee cup and pour espresso over it. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and sugared walnuts. Place the cup on the saucer and rest a chocolate-dipped spoon alongside.