Walnuts, rum, delicate pastry and a rich caramel cream create a festive treat that impresses with both flavor and elegant appearance. Caramel nut rolls are perfect for the Christmas table, special occasions, or as a sweet addition to afternoon coffee or tea.
The dough just needs to be rolled out, wrapped around buttered metal tubes and baked until golden. Once cooled, the rolls are filled with a smooth cream made from caramelized condensed milk and butter. If you wish to decorate them further, dip one end in melted white chocolate.
What you’ll need
For the dough:
- 200 g plain flour,
- 60 g powdered sugar,
- 60 g butter,
- 70 g ground walnuts,
- 2 tablespoons rum,
- 1 egg.
For the caramel cream:
- 1 can of caramelized condensed milk,
- 200 g butter.
For finishing:
- white chocolate.
The original recipe does not specify the exact amount of white chocolate, so adjust according to the number of rolls and your preferred decoration style.
Step-by-step preparation:
1. Preparing the dough: Mix the plain flour with powdered sugar, softened butter, ground walnuts, rum, and egg. Work everything together thoroughly until you have a smooth, compact dough with no dry spots.
2. Resting: Wrap the finished dough in cling film and place it in the fridge to rest. The original recipe does not state the exact chilling time, so continue when the dough is easy to handle and can be rolled out comfortably.
3. Preparing the molds: Carefully grease the metal tubes with butter so the baked pastry can be easily removed. Prepare enough molds in advance to make shaping and baking smoother.
4. Shaping the rolls: Roll out the rested dough and cut it into rectangles. Wrap each piece around the prepared metal tubes, pressing the seam well so the dough doesn’t open during baking.
5. Baking: Place the shaped rolls in an oven preheated to 170°C. Bake until they turn golden. The original recipe does not specify the exact time, so go by the appearance of the dough.
6. Cooling: Let the baked rolls cool completely before gently removing them from the metal molds. Handle with care, as the cooled walnut pastry is delicate.
7. Preparing the caramel cream: Combine the caramelized condensed milk with butter and whip into a smooth cream. The mixture should be even and free of butter lumps, so it can be easily piped with a pastry bag.
8. Filling: Transfer the prepared caramel cream into a piping bag with a nozzle. Fill the cooled rolls one by one, making sure the cream is evenly distributed inside.
9. Finishing: Melt the white chocolate and, if desired, dip one end of each filled roll into it. The chocolate layer will decorate the pastry and create a light contrast to the caramel filling and walnut dough.
How to work with metal tubes
Grease the molds with butter before use and press the dough seam firmly onto them. This helps prevent the pastry from sticking and ensures the rolls keep their shape during baking.
For more efficient work, it’s practical to prepare enough metal tubes in advance. Remove the baked pastry from them only after cooling, as the delicate dough could break if handled roughly.
Why fill only cooled rolls
Apply the caramel cream only to completely cooled pastries. If the rolls are still warm, the butter in the filling could soften and the cream would start to run.
Final tip
White chocolate is an optional finishing touch, so you can dip only one end of the rolls or skip it altogether. Serve these pastries at festive occasions, at Christmas, or as a delicate sweet treat with coffee or tea.
