Ingredients
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For Sheets:
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10 egg whites
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250 gr (1 1/4 cup) Sugar
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300 gr (10.5 oz) ground walnuts
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125 gr (1 cup) Flour
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pinch of salt
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For Cream:
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10 egg yolk
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150 gr (1 1/4 cup) Sugar
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300 gr (2 2/3 sticks) Butter 82%
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vanilla flavor
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For Krantz:
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100 gr (1/2 cup Sugar
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100 gr (3.5 oz) walnutspieces
Directions
When it comes of desserts, forget about Italy or France. East European cakes are the best. Layers of crunchy meringue and walnuts, all brought together with an amazing mousseline cream, topped with candied walnuts. This Krantz cake is a tasty and absolutely gorgeous dessert, one of the most popular dessert recipes in Romanian cuisine. The original recipe is German but it was first adopted by the Romanians from Transylvania and ended up being prepared in all regions of the country. It makes the perfect choice for holidays and for parties and is also very easy to make. You don’t have to prepare a dough and roll it out into very thin sheets. You simply make a batter from egg whites, sugar, walnuts and a bit of flour and spread it with a spatula into a baking tray. This cake needs 24-48 hours to mature so it is a great recipe to make in advance.
Making the Krantz Cake:
How to Make the Sheets:
- Place the egg whites into a large bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix until fluffy.
- Add the sugar, gradually, and continue to mix until stiff peaks form and the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add the ground walnuts and incorporate with a spatula.
- Add the flour and incorporate with a spatula.
- Divide the batter into 3 bowls, for 3 cake sheets.
- Pour the batter from 1 bowl into a baking tray lined with parchment paper and spread evenly with a spatula.
- Place the baking tray into a preheated oven and bake at 180 °C for about 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Repeat with the remaining 2 bowls of batter. Set aside and allow to cool.
How to Make the Cream:
- You have to cook the cream using a bain-marie. Fill a large heat proof pot with water and a smaller pot that fits into the larger one. There should be about 2cm of space between the water and the bottom of the smaller pot.
- Pour water into the larger pot, place it over a medium heat and bring to a boil.
- Place this pot on top of the larger one with simmering water. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring continuously, until thickened and glossy (like a glaze).
- Remove from the heat, add vanilla flavoring, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to cool.
How to Make the “Krantz” (Caramelized Walnuts):
- In a pan, heat the sugar over a medium heat. Stir constantly. Cook until the sugar is completely melted.
- Add the walnuts and stir to incorporate. Transfer the caramelized walnuts onto parchment paper and allow to completely cool.
- Use a rolling pin to smash the caramelized walnuts.
How to Assemble Krantz Cake:
- Combine the cream with soft butter. Mix until well incorporated. Divide the cream into 3 parts: 2 larger parts and 1 smaller part for topping.
- Place 1 cake sheet onto a tray and evenly spread the first layer of cream.
- Over the cream, place the second sheet and the second layer of cream.
- Place the 3rd sheet and the 3rd layer of cream.
- Sprinkle with “Krantz”.
- Refrigerate the Krantz cake for 2-3 hours or until the cream is firm. Cut into pieces and serve, if you can’t leave it for 24-48 hours!
