Bündner nut tart: Swiss recipe to make yourself

Have you heard of Bündner nut tart? It's a classic from the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland and can easily be baked at home. It might even be the most famous nut tart in Switzerland.
The Bündner nut tart consists of a shortcrust pastry and a sweet filling of caramelized sugar, walnuts and cream.

I learned this recipe in Germany from a friend who baked this cake for us for a housewarming party. This cake was simply amazing!
The recipe she used can also be found on the website of the Canton of GraubündenIt is an adaptation of an old recipe from 1881.

Bündner nut tart: Ingredients

For the Bündner nut tart you need a round baking tin with a diameter of 24 cm.

For the shortcrust pastry

• 150 g sugar
• 150 g butter
• 300 g flour
• 1 egg
• a pinch of salt
  

For the nut filling

• 250 g sugar
• 300 g walnut kernels, roughly chopped
• 2 dl double cream

Prepare Bündner nut tart

1. Prepare the shortcrust pastry

Mix flour, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Add the butter in small pieces and rub it in by hand until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Whisk the egg, add it to the mixture, and quickly combine everything into a smooth dough. Do not knead the dough.

2. Line the baking tin

Cut off 250g of the dough and set it aside for the lid.
Line the 24 cm diameter cake tin with the remaining dough and form a rim about 3 cm high.

3. Prepare the filling for the Bündner nut tart

For the filling, brown the sugar in a saucepan, stirring constantly. Add the coarsely chopped walnuts and toast briefly.
Then add the double cream and bring the mixture to a boil twice.

4. Assemble the nut cake

Pour the walnut mixture into the prepared mold.
Form a lid from the remaining dough and completely cover the filling with it. Then prick the dough lid several times with a fork.

5. Bake a Bündner nut tart

Place the tin in the cold oven and heat to high for about 10 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to medium and bake the Bündner nut tart for about 50 to 60 minutes until light golden brown.

Note: This temperature information comes from the original recipe on which this variation is based. Modern ovens can be set much more precisely. Therefore, when baking this recipe, please adjust the temperature according to your oven and keep an eye on the nut tart towards the end of the baking time.

Good luck and bon appetite!

Where does the Bündner nut tart come from?

The Bündner Nusstorte – also known as Tuorta da Nusch in Romansh – is a specialty from the Swiss canton of Graubünden. Its characteristic feature is the combination of shortcrust pastry and a rich filling of walnuts, caramelized sugar, and cream.
And that's why the Bündner nut tart fits quite well with Baumbad: After all, it wouldn't exist without the walnut tree.

Walnuts grow on True walnut tree (Juglans regia). The trees can live for many decades and produce their well-known nuts in autumn. Anyone with their own walnut tree in the garden can dry the nuts after harvesting and then use them for cakes, pastries, or even a traditional Bündner nut tart.

How long does Bündner nut tart keep?

A practical advantage of the Bündner nut tart is that it keeps well. Thanks to the baked nut and caramel filling, it still tastes very good several days after baking.
It's best to store the cake well wrapped and in a cool place. This will prevent the shortcrust pastry from drying out too quickly and help the nut cake retain its flavor.

More recipes straight from the tree

Do you like recipes with ingredients that come straight from the tree? Then try our Vermicelli from chestnuts, our Plum Chutney or Elderflower syrup.

Or perhaps you'd be interested in the article The best edible trees for the garden: fruit, nuts & more from your own harvest.