Walnut Cakes (Korean Bite-Sized Red Bean Walnut Pastries)
Hodu-gwaja are bite-sized Korean walnut cakes made from a batter of cake flour, baking powder, eggs, milk, and melted butter, cooked in a dedicated walnut-shaped iron mold. Each cavity is half-filled with batter, topped with sweet red bean paste and a toasted walnut half, then sealed with more batter and cooked over medium-low heat for six to eight minutes per side. Toasting the walnut halves at 160 degrees Celsius for five minutes beforehand deepens their fragrance noticeably in the finished cake. Resting the batter for ten minutes before pouring relaxes the gluten, reducing air pockets and yielding a smoother exterior crust.
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Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter and let it cool. Toast walnuts at 160C for 5 minutes to boost aroma.
- 2
Sift cake flour and baking powder together.
- 3
Whisk eggs and sugar until dissolved, then add milk and melted butter.
- 4
Add dry ingredients, mix until smooth, and rest the batter for 10 minutes.
- 5
Preheat the mold, fill halfway with batter, add red bean paste and walnut, then cover with more batter.
- 6
Cook over medium-low heat, turning both sides for 6-8 minutes until golden.
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