“Karidopita” with chocolate (Sweet walnut pie)

An easy recipe for a tasty “karidopita” with chocolate, one of the most famous traditional sweets in Greece!

Ingredient

• 500 g chopped walnuts
• 250 gr. fresh butter
• 200 gr. sugar
• 8 eggs
• 200 gr. toast
• 4 tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tbsp. clove powder
• zest of 1 orange
• 75 ml of brandy

For the syrup:

• 500 ml of water
• 500 g sugar
• 70 ml of brandy
• 1 vanilla
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• 1 orange peel

For the chocolate icing:

• 250 gr. butter
• 200 gr. powdered sugar
• 200 g chocolate in tears

Execution

1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees.
2. Butter a baking tray of about 35 cm and sprinkle it with flour, shake off the extra flour.
3. Beat the sugar with the butter in the mixer for about 4 minutes until it becomes a white and fluffy mixture.
4. Add the eggs one by one, gradually continuing to beat.
5. Add the brandy and the orange zest and beat for a while.
6. Set the mixture aside.
7. In a large bowl add all the powdered ingredients [toast, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder] and mix well.
8. Finally, crush the walnut, it must be coarsely chopped.
9. Add the mixture to the mixer with the butter mixture and mix until smooth.
10. Put the mixture in the pan and bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes.
11. Remove the walnut pie from the oven and leave it in the pan on the edge to cool well.

For the syrup:

1. Add all the ingredients for the syrup to a saucepan and boil for 10 minutes after it boils.
2. Slowly syrup the walnut pie with a large spoon.
3. Set aside the walnut pie to absorb the syrup well and cool.

For chocolate glaze:

1. In a bowl and over boiling water (bain marie) put the butter over medium heat together with the chocolate and stir until melted.
2. Sift the sugar, stirring constantly until the ingredients are combined.
3. Remove from the heat for 5-8 minutes to cool slightly and pour over the walnut pie.
4. Serve the walnut pie with grated walnut