Honey Walnut Filling
Nut fillings fall apart for two reasons: the nuts release oil and the sugar turns liquid in the heat. The Hungarians solved it with breadcrumbs, which soak up both the oil and the syrup and cannot be tasted in the finished bake at all. Grind the nuts unevenly — part to dust, part coarse — so there is something to bite into inside the roll.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Rest
- 20 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 16
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 250 kcal
Ingredients
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What to use instead
Hazelnuts replace walnuts at the same weight. Almonds work too, though the flavour becomes much milder and less recognisable.
Makes: About 800 g of filling, enough for two rolls
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
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Step 1: Toast the walnuts
Warm the nuts in a dry pan for 3–4 minutes, until they smell of themselves. Raw walnuts taste dull and slightly bitter; toasted ones taste of walnut.
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Step 2: Grind them unevenly
Grind two thirds to fine crumbs and chop the rest coarsely with a knife. Evenly ground nuts give a paste with nothing to bite into.
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Step 3: Mix the dry
Combine the nuts, sugar, breadcrumbs, cinnamon and zest. Mix the crumbs in thoroughly: they are what will take up the excess oil.
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Step 4: Add honey and hot water
Dissolve the honey in the hot water and pour it into the nut mixture along with the oil. Stir until the mass is damp and starts clumping together.
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Step 5: Stir in the raisins
Add the raisins and mix. There is no need to soak them: they take up moisture from the filling while it rests.
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Step 6: Let it stand
Leave 20 minutes at room temperature. The crumbs swell and the filling goes from crumbly to spreadable — exactly right for laying over dough.
Tips & variations
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Tip
If it seems dry, add hot water a spoonful at a time. It should spread but not run, or the roll splits along the seam.
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Swap
Hazelnuts replace walnuts at the same weight. Almonds work too, though the flavour becomes much milder and less recognisable.
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Tip
The breadcrumbs must be plain white ones. Seasoned coating crumbs bring garlic and paprika to your strudel, and it shows immediately.
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Storage
A week in the fridge, three months frozen. Let it warm for an hour before use; cold filling tears the dough.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 16 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 250 kcal | 4,000 kcal |
| Protein | 5 g | 80 g |
| Fat | 16 g | 256 g |
| Carbohydrates | 23 g | 368 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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