German Nut Corners (Nussecken)
Nussecken (which literally means nut corners) are moist, nutty, and absolutely delicious German nut bars. Make a great anytime treat or a perfect homemade gift from the kitchen.
Servings: 24 Nut bars
Equipment
- 1 45x37 cm (17.72 x 14.57 inch) baking sheet
- 2 Parchment papers
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 dough scraper card
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 300 g (10.6 oz/ 2 ½ cups) plain flour/ all purpose flour plus extra for dusting
- 100 g (3.5 oz/ ½ cup) sugar
- 100 (3.5 oz/ 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon) butter soft
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 medium eggs Germany, large US room temperature
For the nut layer
- 2 tablespoons jam apricot jam (or any) or any, to spread on the shortcrust pastry
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract SEE NOTES
- 150 g (5.3 oz/ ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons) brown sugar
- 150 g (5.3 oz/ ½ cup + 2 tablespoons) butter
- 200 g (7.1 oz/ 1 1/3 cups) ground hazelnuts
- 100 g (3.5 oz/ about 1 cup) almonds flakes
- 100 g (3.5 oz/ 2/3 cup) chopped almonds
- 4 tablespoons water
For the chocolate glaze
- 200 g (about 7 oz) dark chocolate/ couverture
- 1 tablespoon oil
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with a parchment paper and set aside. (I have used a 45×37 cm (17.72 x 14.57 inch) baking sheet). Fold the parchment paper on the sides to the size of the baking sheet, so that it will fit perfectly well and set aside.
- To make the shortcrust pastry, simply mix flour and baking powder in a bowl. Add the remaining shortcrust pastry ingredients and knead eith with your hands or hand mixer with dough hooks to a smooth dough.
- Dust your hands with flour and shape the dough into a ball. Next, roll out the lightly dusted dough with a lightly dusted rolling pin on the parchment paper that previously folded into a rectangle shape (or into the shape of the tray that you are using).
- Just make sure to place parchment paper on a wooden cutting board or a silicone mat first, just to keep it from slipping away. Rolling out like this is faster and makes life easier.*If you want, you could also just put the dough in the middle of the baking sheet lined with parchment paper and press it out with dusted hands to fit the baking sheet to the edges and corners.
- Now place the parchment paper with the rolled out dough on the baking sheet. Press out the dough nicely to fit the baking sheet.
- Uisng a spoon or pastry brush, spread warmed jam (either in the microwave or on the stove) over the rolled out pastry. Then preheat the oven to 180 °C (356 °F), with both up and lower heat. (Convection bake function: 160 °C (320 °F) ).
- For the nut topping, simply heat the brown sugar, vanilla extract, butter, and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, while stirring constantly. Then remove from the heat.
- Add chopped almonds, ground hazelnuts, almond flakes (leave 1 hand full of flakes for later) and mix well.
- Spread the topping evenly over the rolled out shortcrust pastry. Smooth the surface with the help of a dough scraper card or something similar. Then sprinkle the remaining flaked almonds on top and bake for about 30 minutes.
- Immediately after baking remove the baking sheet from the oven and cut the bars immediately. First into rectangles, then squares and finally into triangles. Then let let triangles cool completely before dipping them in melted chocolate.* Don’t try to remove the bars from the baking sheet, while they are still warm, they will break!!
- Once the nut corners have cooled completely, melt the chocolate in the microwave, over a hot bath or in a sauce pan. Then stir in the oil. Adding oil makes the glaze easier to spread.
- Remove the corners of the parchment paper from the tray. Using the dough scraper card or something similar, go between the corners just to be sure they don’t stick together.
- Remove the corners of the parchment paper from the tray. Using the dough scraper card or something similar, go between the corners just to be sure they don’t stick together.
- You can also decorate your nut corners however you like: dip both corners in the glaze, dip just one corner, dip the cut surfaces in it or simply drizzle melted chocolate over the zops of nut corners.
- By the way, the nut corners also taste great without chocolate. The nussecken taste BEST after a few days. So make sure to make them a few days ahead and let them steep.
Notes
*Vanilla: This recipe calls for vanilla extract, but feel free to use about 1 teaspoon vanilla seed paste or about 2 tablespoon vanilla sugar. Just reduce the amount of sugar if you’re using vanilla sugar.