Chinese Walnut Cookies (hup toh soh)

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Hong Kong Walnut Biscuits - hup toh soh - Dessert Recipes With Nuts, Nut Dessert Recipes, Sweet Recipes With Nuts

Lard is traditional in these old fashioned Chinese walnut cookies but I use butter in my hup toh soh recipe – to give them their Cantonese name – as I prefer the flavour. These deliciously crumbly biscuits are a favourite in Hong Kong. I love a glass of ratafia with them, especially the one from Pierre’s Wines in the Hunter Valley. Substitute extra castor sugar for the brown sugar if need be. See video below for another walnut Chinese sweet treat.

Makes 12 pieces

Ingredients
  • ¾ cup walnut pieces (70g/2½oz)
  • 1 cup plain flour (150g/5⅓oz)
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon bicarb soda
  • Salt flakes, to taste
  • 75g butter, melted (2⅔oz)
  • 2 tablespoons castor sugar (35g/1¼oz)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar (35g/1¼oz)
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
Method
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (355°F).
  2. Crush walnuts coarsely, reserving 12 pieces for decoration.
  3. Combine crushed walnuts with flour, baking powder, bicarb soda and a good pinch of salt.
  4. Place butter, castor sugar, brown sugar and half the egg in a mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.
  5. Add walnut mixture and stir to form a smooth dough.
  6. Divide dough into 12 pieces.
  7. Roll each piece between the palms of your hands to form a ball, placing them on a baking paper-lined tray about 5cm (2″) apart.
  8. Press with the tines of a fork to flatten them slightly then top with a piece of reserved walnut.
  9. Add a tablespoon of water to the remaining egg and brush over the top of the biscuits.
  10. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 160°C (320°F) and bake for a further 10 minutes or so, until well coloured and cooked through.
  11. Set hup toh soh aside to cool on the tray.
  12. Store your Hong Kong walnut biscuits in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 5 days.
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