Some sweets you never get tired of, and these grilážky (Slovak caramel-walnut wafer bars) are one of them. They are crunchy, caramelly and full of walnuts. The recipe is a classic holiday no-bake treat, and the bars keep well for weeks.
Many people are wary of making caramel, but this method, where the caramel is thinned with hot milk and butter, helps you avoid a seized or burnt caramel. Prepare this no-bake treat for the holiday table.
At a Glance
- Prep time: 20 min
- Setting time: at least 4 hours (ideally overnight)
- Servings: about 50 bars
- Difficulty: Medium
- Calories: about 145 kcal per bar
- Trend: No-bake dessert / Christmas baking
Ingredients
- 5 large rectangular cake wafer sheets (thin, plain wafers; sold as torte wafers or Oblaten)
- 2 1/2 cups (500 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (250 g) butter (for the best flavor)
- 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon (500 ml) whole milk
- 5 cups (500 g) finely ground butter cookies or tea biscuits (such as Petit Beurre or Marie biscuits)
- 1 cup (100 g) walnuts, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- First prepare everything thoroughly, because caramel is all about speed. Grind the cookies and chop the walnuts. Lay the wafer sheets out on your work surface.
- Pour the sugar into a wide, heavy-bottomed pot. Melt it over medium heat, swirling the pot occasionally, until it becomes a liquid amber caramel. Stir only once most of the sugar has melted.
- While the sugar caramelizes, warm the milk and butter together in a second pot until the butter is completely melted. The mixture does not need to boil, it just has to be hot.
- Now the key step. Pour the hot milk and butter mixture into the finished liquid caramel very slowly, whisking constantly. Be careful, the mixture will bubble and spatter heavily! This method keeps the caramel from seizing into one hard lump.
- Simmer briefly over low heat until you have a smooth, combined caramel sauce.
- Take the pot off the heat and immediately stir the chopped walnuts and ground cookies vigorously into the hot mixture. You get a thick, sticky mass.
- Work quickly. Spread a quarter of the hot filling evenly over the first wafer sheet. Cover with a second sheet, press down lightly and keep layering until you run out of filling. The top layer is the fifth and last wafer.
- Cover the whole slab with parchment paper and weigh it down evenly, for example with a large cutting board and a few heavy books.
- Let it set at room temperature for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Video Recipe
Tips for Perfect Caramel Walnut Bars
- For clean slices: Use a long, sharp knife. Dip it in hot water and wipe it dry before every cut. The bars will be neat and the wafers will not crack.
- Storage: Store the bars in a tightly closed container in a cool, dry place (not in the refrigerator, so they do not get damp). They keep for several weeks, which makes them a good make-ahead holiday treat.
Easy Variations
- Dulce de leche version: For an extra quick version, cook one whole can of sweetened condensed milk, submerged in water, for 2 hours. Mix the caramelized milk in a bowl with melted butter, walnuts and cookie crumbs. Keep the can fully covered with water the whole time and let it cool completely before opening.
- Chocolate glaze: Before slicing, you can pour good dark chocolate over the whole weighted, set slab for an even more luxurious version.
The result is a crunchy, addictive sweet. It is lovely with coffee or as part of a Christmas dessert table.
The recipe is based on a version by Mijesi peci sijeci Moja kuhinjica, adapted by the We Cook With Love team.
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