These German nut corners are called Nussecken. They consist of a melt-in-your-mouth shortbread topped with a thin layer of apricot jam and a hazelnut and caramel topping. They are cut into triangles and then two of their corners are dipped in dark chocolate. They are simply divine.
Although these cookies seem a little bit overwhelming they are actually not hard to make. The trickiest part is getting the dough stretched out. For this you will have to roll it out on a measured piece of parchment paper or you will have to stretch it out anf pat it down with your fingers. You can see how I rolled mine out in the video if you like.
These German nut corners will dress up any cookie tray and are also a superb gift from your kitchen. You will not believe how absolutely delectable they are.
You will have to keep these in an airtight container inside the fridge. They will last you for about a week if you keep them like this.
Here is what you are going to need for these exquisite and elegant German nut corners:
Makes 24 cookies
FOR THE DOUGH
1¾ cup (224 grams) of white all-purpose flour
2/3rd tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup (100 grams) white sugar
1 large egg – lightly beaten
1/2 a tsp. of vanilla paste or extract or 1 tsp. vanilla sugar
1 TBS water
1/2 cup unsalted, very soft butter
FOR THE TOPPING
3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (150 grams) white sugar
3 TBS of water
1/2 tsp. vanilla paste or extract
3/4 cups (100 grams) ground hazelnuts
1 3/4 cups (200 grams) chopped hazelnuts
3 TBS apricot jam
8 oz. (200 grams) of dark chocolate
Mix the flour, baking powder and sugar in a bowl. Add the egg, vanilla, water and butter and mix until you have dough. You can use your hands or a mixer is you like. Form a ball with the dough and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
Make your topping while the dough is refrigerating. Place the butter, white sugar, water and vanilla in a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely and then for about 4 minutes to allow the sugar to caramelize. Add the hazelnuts and turn off the heat. Allow cooling for about 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Line a 10×15 inch (30×40 cm) baking sheet with parchment paper or the inside of a brown paper bag or butter and flour it lightly like you would a cake. If you are using a paper bag butter it lightly. Make sure you cut the paper so it fits into the pan exactly.
A TRICKY STEP – the rolling out of the dough. You can either place the measured and cut paper on your counter and patiently roll it out to the exact dimensions to then carefully move it into the pan or you can place the dough in the middle of the pan and start patting it down with your fingertips so that it covers the whole bottom part of your pan. Try and keep either method about the same thickness throughout. Transfer the extended dough and the paper on to the baking sheet.
Evenly spread 3 TBS of apricot jam on the dough. Evenly spread the hazelnut topping on top of the jam. Put the pan in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes. You might want to place some aluminum foil under the pan for the topping might spill over a bit.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before placing it on a cooling rack. The topping will be soft but will harden as it cools and the shortbread underneath it should be lightly browned. Let this cool down completely.
Cut the dough into squares and then cut those into triangles. You can use a ruler so that they are about the same size. You might have a thin strip left over. Cut it into small squares and enjoy it!
Melt your chocolate either by placing a small pot over a larger one with simmering water and stirring constantly or in the microwave. If you decide to use the microwave you need to be very careful not to burn it. Take it out every 30 seconds and stir it.
Dip a corner of your triangle into the chocolate and shake off the excess. Flip it and dip the opposite corner. Place the cookies on a cooling rack over a baking sheet so the excess chocolate drips on it and let the chocolate set. Rearrange the cookies on the baking sheet and refrigerate them. You can keep these in a closed container for up to a week inside the fridge.
