Chopped nuts, such as walnuts, almonds and peanuts, are frequently used in recipes, and are really shards of nuts cut into different sizes. Nuts can be toasted before or after chopping.
They are an important ingredient in the Hazelnut Almond Mocha Dacquoise Meringue Cake Recipe, which is a dacquoise or a dessert of disc-shaped, nut-flavored meringues stacked and filled with sweetened whipped cream or buttercream, and in others.
HOW TO:
It depends on the recipe's INGREDIENT instructions how the nuts are measured(craftybaking.com will always instruct you with the recipe):
a. xx cup walnuts, chopped: measure xx cup and then chop as instructed in the Foolproof Toffee Recipe
b. xx cup chopped walnuts: chop and then measure xx cup as instructed in the Pumpkin Walnut Cake Roll Recipe
c. xx cup walnut halves: measure xx cup walnut halves as instructed in Reed's Deep Dish Orange Pecan Pie Recipe
NOTE: The recipe's ingredients can call for toasting them after chopping, or sometimes before.
ex: xx cup chopped almonds, toasted: chop and measure xx cup, then toast as instructed in the Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroon Cookies Recipe.
Size of chop: Chop walnuts fairly coarsely to finely, as specified in the recipe.
a. If you need a half cup or less, use a long chef's knife (large, with a tapered blade) on a clean and dry cutting board. Grasp the handle and place your other hand over the tip, then carefully rock the blade across nuts until pieces are the desired size.
Coarsely chopped walnuts in the Sour Cream Apple Walnut Pie Recipe
Finely chopped peanuts in the Ultimate Chocolate Snickers Butter Cake Recipe
b. To chop larger amounts, a food processor(not a blender) fitted with a steel blade is best, as instructed with the Hazelnut Almond Mocha Dacquoise Meringue Cake Recipe.
Blanched almonds are placed in the food processor.
The machine is PULSED to finely chop them; do not keep the machine running continuously otherwise you will quickly make nut butter.
