Bündner Nusstorte
Encyclopedia
The Bündner Nusstorte (Graubünden nut pastry), also known as Engadiner Nusstorte, is a traditional sweet, caramelised nut (generally walnut) filled pastry from canton Graubünden
in Switzerland. The modern filled Nusstorte was first widely available in the 1960s though it was invented in the 1920s. While the Nusstorte is associated with Graubünden, the nuts are always imported because Graubünden's climate will not support nut trees.
(a region in Graubünden) baker named Fausto Pult in 1926. In 1934 he sold the pastries at the Mustermesse in Basel
, which introduced them to the wider world.
Because the climate in Graubünden is too cold for nut trees to thrive, the origin of nuts in their pastries is subject to some debate. One theory is that a baker, who had lived in France, brought nut trees back with him which he was able to plant in Val Bregaglia
. Another theory, that comes up often in the literature, is that the shortcrust pastry
specialist Fuatscha Grassa from a Graubünden confectionery encountered a French nut pastry while living in France. When he returned to Graubünden, he brought the idea with him. A third theory is that during the Middle Ages many confectioners from Graubünden moved to Venice
and for 300 years specialized in sweets. When they were expelled in 1766, the Graubünden confectioners traveled around Europe before many of them settled back in Graubünden. The idea of nut pastries could have easily come from one of these wandering cooks.
s but rarely other nuts
) are added. Some recipes include little milk or may add honey.
The Bündner Nusstorte is produced throughout the entire canton and is one of the largest export items for independent bakers. It is estimated that Nusstorten sales represent 20 to 40% of the total sales for many bakers and are a major source of income.
and nut filling, is loaded with calorie
s. They are generally cut into pieces and eaten for dessert together with coffee or tea. They can be purchased throughout the year and are widely available over the internet. The Nusstorte will remain fresh for several months, which makes them popular as gifts and allows them to be shipped around the world.
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
in Switzerland. The modern filled Nusstorte was first widely available in the 1960s though it was invented in the 1920s. While the Nusstorte is associated with Graubünden, the nuts are always imported because Graubünden's climate will not support nut trees.
History
While there are recipes for Nusstorte from the 19th century, they are different from the modern Nusstorte. These pastries contained nuts mixed into a dough, but were not filled. The modern, filled Nusstorte was developed by an EngadinEngadin
The Engadin or Engadine is a long valley in the Swiss Alps located in the canton of Graubünden in southeast Switzerland. It follows the route of the Inn River from its headwaters at Maloja Pass running northeast until the Inn flows into Austria one hundred kilometers downstream...
(a region in Graubünden) baker named Fausto Pult in 1926. In 1934 he sold the pastries at the Mustermesse in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, which introduced them to the wider world.
Because the climate in Graubünden is too cold for nut trees to thrive, the origin of nuts in their pastries is subject to some debate. One theory is that a baker, who had lived in France, brought nut trees back with him which he was able to plant in Val Bregaglia
Val Bregaglia
The Val Bregaglia or Bergell Tal is an alpine valley of Switzerland and Italy at the base of which runs the river Mera River...
. Another theory, that comes up often in the literature, is that the shortcrust pastry
Shortcrust pastry
Shortcrust pastry is a type of pastry often used for the base of a tart or pie. It does not puff up during baking because it usually contains no leavening agent. It is possible to make shortcrust pastry with self-raising flour, however...
specialist Fuatscha Grassa from a Graubünden confectionery encountered a French nut pastry while living in France. When he returned to Graubünden, he brought the idea with him. A third theory is that during the Middle Ages many confectioners from Graubünden moved to Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and for 300 years specialized in sweets. When they were expelled in 1766, the Graubünden confectioners traveled around Europe before many of them settled back in Graubünden. The idea of nut pastries could have easily come from one of these wandering cooks.
Production
The Bündner Nusstorte is commonly made by small independent bakers scattered throughout Graubünden. For this reason, there are a variety of recipes, some of which are closely guarded secrets. The basic pastry is made of a classic shortcrust pastry, which contains flour, sugar, egg, butter and a bit of salt. The filling is made of caramelized sugar, to which heavy cream or milk and coarsely chopped nuts (commonly walnutWalnut
Juglans is a plant genus of the family Juglandaceae, the seeds of which are known as walnuts. They are deciduous trees, 10–40 meters tall , with pinnate leaves 200–900 millimetres long , with 5–25 leaflets; the shoots have chambered pith, a character shared with the wingnuts , but not the hickories...
s but rarely other nuts
Nut (fruit)
A nut is a hard-shelled fruit of some plants having an indehiscent seed. While a wide variety of dried seeds and fruits are called nuts in English, only a certain number of them are considered by biologists to be true nuts...
) are added. Some recipes include little milk or may add honey.
The Bündner Nusstorte is produced throughout the entire canton and is one of the largest export items for independent bakers. It is estimated that Nusstorten sales represent 20 to 40% of the total sales for many bakers and are a major source of income.
Consumption
The Nusstorte, with a buttery crust and creamCream
Cream is a dairy product that is composed of the higher-butterfat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, over time, the lighter fat rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream this process is accelerated by using centrifuges called "separators"...
and nut filling, is loaded with calorie
Calorie
The calorie is a pre-SI metric unit of energy. It was first defined by Nicolas Clément in 1824 as a unit of heat, entering French and English dictionaries between 1841 and 1867. In most fields its use is archaic, having been replaced by the SI unit of energy, the joule...
s. They are generally cut into pieces and eaten for dessert together with coffee or tea. They can be purchased throughout the year and are widely available over the internet. The Nusstorte will remain fresh for several months, which makes them popular as gifts and allows them to be shipped around the world.