Walnut Advent Calendar

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 500 g flour
• 200 g walnuts, chopped or ground
• 250 g honey
• 200 g beet syrup
• ½ tsp cardamom, ground
• 1 tsp. clove powder
• 1 pinch of cinnamon
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• 1 tsp potash
• 2 tbsp rum or apple juice
• 100 g raisins
• 50 g candied lemon peel, finely chopped
• 200 g chocolate coating or cake icing
• 120 g powdered sugar
• Sprinkles, red or pink, or other decoration

Instructions

Working time approx. 35 minutes; Rest time approx. 3 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 4 hours 5 minutes

If using whole walnuts, they must first be finely chopped or ground. Briefly roast them in a pan without fat and then let cool. Combine the honey and sugar beet syrup in a saucepan, heat gently while stirring, and then let cool slightly. Then add half of the flour and mix thoroughly using the dough hook of a mixer. Place the other half of the flour in a bowl along with the spices (cardamom, clove powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg) and mix everything together. Pour 2 tablespoons of rum or apple juice into a small bowl, add 1 teaspoon of potash, and stir in. Then add to the flour and spice mix. Add the roasted walnuts, raisins, and candied lemon peel to this mixture and mix using the dough hook of a mixer. Then knead in the already prepared mixture of the second half of the flour, honey and syrup and chill the now prepared dough for at least 3 hours. Divide the chilled dough into 24 pieces – as equal as possible. Form each piece into a roll with a diameter of 2 to 3 cm and use a knife to cut 2 to 3 cm long pieces. Now flatten slightly and form these pieces into small rectangles. You should end up with 30 to 35 pieces per calendar. Prepare larger rectangles for St. Nicholas Day and Christmas Eve. Place the dough pieces on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake at 180 degrees Celsius, fan oven 160 degrees Celsius, for 15 to 20 minutes and then allow to cool. 1. If there is still enough time, place the baked dough pieces in a tin with an apple for a day. This will keep them soft for longer. 2. Melt cake icing or chocolate coating and glaze the dough pieces with it. 3. While the icing is still liquid, decorate 24 pieces of dough per calendar with, for example, red sugar decorations and decorate the others with a walnut half each. 4. Once the icing has dried, decorate the 24 designated dough pieces with the numbers 1 to 24. To do this, mix icing sugar with a little water until thick and then apply the numbers through the pointed nozzle of a piping bag. Alternatively, you can also use white icing from a tube. 5. Finally, create a decorative frame for the Advent calendar pieces – e.g., by lining the lid of a box with wrapping paper. 6. Have fun baking and decorating, and have a wonderful pre-Christmas season!