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This week we’ve got a classic Greek recipe for you. Karidopita, literally meaning ‘walnut pie’ is a traditional Greek cake. Every family has its own recipe and in mine, we loved making it all year round and especially towards the end of summer. So as we are slowly returning home from our Oliveology Holidays, we thought we would celebrate gathering back to the city with some baking.
This recipe is adapted from a 1960s cookery book by Chryssa Paradeisi, one of the most famous of its time. Expect a dense cake that is not on the sweet side. But you can sprinkle your cake with some powdered sugar or serve it with ice cream. We love it as is.
In this recipe we used our delicious organic walnut kernel halves, which come from the organic farm Artemission in Northern Evia Island. The recipe also calls for Metaxa, the unique amber spirit that’s a staple in Greek baking. Serve your karidopita with some 12-Star Metaxa, for the ultimate Greek experience.
½ cup butter at room temperature
1.5 cups white sugar
3 eggs, yolks and whites divided
3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cups milk
1.5 cups (175g) ground walnuts
1 tbsp Metaxa 12 Stars (optional)
Powdered sugar (to serve)
Preheat the oven at 180C.
Place the butter in a large bowl and whisk until light and fluffy. Slowly add the sugar and keep whisking.
Separate egg whites from yolks and set aside.
Add the yolks one by one into your butter-sugar mixture and whisk again. Add the Metaxa and whisk until you have a smooth and shiny mixture.
Sieve the flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture into your bowl, adding the milk as you go along.
Add the walnuts and stir until incorporated.
Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form and gently fold them into your bowl.
You should have a thick cake butter.
Grease and dust with flour a 24-26cm cake tin. Pour in your cake batter.
Bake at 180C until the cake is cooked through, for 30-40min. You can test if your cake is done by inserting a knife at the centre. It should come our clean.
Sprinkle some powdered sugar (if using) and serve with Metaxa 12 Stars.
