Recipies: Nuts

Walnut Liquor. An Old German Recipe
Chop 450g (1 lb) green nuts into small pieces, cover them with 1.4l (2½pt) brandy in a large glass jar. Cover and keep this jar for 2 weeks standing in the sun. Strain the liquid through muslin and pour into a clean jar and add 12g (½oz) pounded cinnamon, 6g (¼oz) pounded cloves and leave the jar again for another week. Boil 300g (12oz) sugar with 625ml (1½ pt) water until the sugar falls in large drops from the spoon. Add the nut brandy and strain again.

Walnut Marmalade
Slice 225g (½lb) green walnuts thinly and drop immediately into 550ml (1 pt) boiling water to preserve colour. Boil for 40 minutes to soften and reduce walnuts and liquid to 415ml (¾pt). Add 415ml (¾lb) sugar and ¼ teaspoon lemon juice. Boil again until it sets. Makes 450g (1 lb) marmalade.

Candied Chestnut. American recipe
Shell and peel about 1.1l (2pt) large chestnuts. Cook in boiling water until just tender. Stick with small toothpicks. Heat 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water until it forms a hard ball, add 4 cup rum or maraschino. Dip the chestnuts into the syrup and stand on a cake-rack to cool.

Baked Apples with Hazelnuts
Scoop out the core of the apples. Mix 25g (1 oz) sugar with some ground hazelnuts, a little milk and egg. Stuff apples with this mixture leaving a little heap on the top. Dot with butter, bake slowly in an oven for 30 minutes at 180°C (350° F) gas mark 4. Warm some apple juice and pour over the apples. Bake apples for another 10 minutes and sprinkle with sugar to taste.