Kariokes Chocolate Walnut Cakes
Recipe for Kariokes, Greek small bitesize mini cakes popular as name day and celebration treats! A perfect combination of chocolate, walnuts and brandy! You will definitely love them!
Ingredients
Soft version
250g plain biscuits, crushed to a fine crumb
150g Lucky walnuts, ground
30ml brandy
1 tsp cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp clove, ground
20g cocoa, sifted
120g butter, melted
150ml milk, warmed
60g honey
Pinch of salt
400g chocolate melts (either milk, dark, or a combination of both, this is to your liking)
1 tbsp sunflower oil
Crunchy version
200g plain biscuits, crushed coarsely
50g Lucky walnuts, ground coarsely
30ml brandy
1 tsp cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp clove, ground
20g cocoa, sifted
150g butter, melted
60g honey
Pinch of salt
400g chocolate melts (either milk, dark or a combination of both, this is to your liking)
1 tbsp sunflower oil
Preparation
Kariokes Chocolate Walnut Cakes, are small bitesize mini cakes that traditionally, are wrapped in foil and provided as a food gift. They are full of intense flavour due to the walnuts, chocolate, and brandy combination. Just the right sweetness, crunch, and softness. For those who love chocolate, alcohol and nut-based desserts, these delights will surely satisfy. Of course, you can use any nut you like, as long as it is well-matched with chocolate and brandy.
Below there are two recipes depending on whether you prefer crunchy or soft versions of these mini cakes. Having made both versions and had many taste testers vote on their favourite, the result was a split verdict. Both versions of Kariokes are equally liked depending on one’s preference for texture.
Method for Kariokes Chocolate Walnut Cakes:
- For the soft version: In a small pot, heat the milk, butter, and honey until melted, stir and remove from the heat. Allow cooling slightly. For the crunchy version: In a small pot, heat the butter until melted, stir and remove from the heat, then add the honey and stir to combine. Allow cooling slightly.
- In a bowl, add the cocoa powder, cinnamon, clove, salt, biscuit crumbs and ground walnut and mix very well.
- Add the mixture from the pot and the brandy. Stir until the ingredients are well combined, use your hands to bring it together if necessary.
- Roll out a piece of cling film or greaseproof paper and add the mixture to it and then wrap it in a long roll, ensuring the contents are combined and are a smooth consistency.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until the mix hardens enough to be able to cut it into slices.
- Place the chocolate and sunflower oil in a stainless steel bowl, over a simmering pot of water (bain-marie).
- Remove the roll from the fridge, remove the wrap, and slice into 1.5cm slices.
- Melt the chocolate and stir until it’s a smooth and glossy consistency. Turn off the heat. Dip the slices in the chocolate mixture and place them on a drip tray so the excess chocolate drips away and then transfer to a tray lined with greaseproof paper. Top each piece with a walnut half.
- Place the tray in the fridge until the chocolate coating dries and thickens.
If you like you can wrap each individual piece in foil paper and gift them as a treat.
