Sweet Walnut Paste (Liquidised) | IDDSI Level 3 Recipe

IDDSI Level 3 (Liquidised) | 30 minutes | Easy

Sweet walnut paste (合桃糊, hap tou wu) is a classic fixture of Hong Kong’s tong sui dessert culture — a smooth, gently sweet warm paste of slow-cooked walnuts blended with rock sugar and water. It shares the same format as sweet peanut paste and black sesame paste, but offers a distinctive earthy, slightly bitter nuttiness and a naturally paler brown colour. Walnut paste made to the right consistency naturally falls within IDDSI Level 3 Liquidised, requiring only careful blending and sieving to eliminate any residual solid fragments. From a nutritional standpoint, walnut paste is among the most nutrient-dense traditional Cantonese desserts, delivering meaningful plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and antioxidants — making it particularly relevant for elderly care settings where nutritional density in a small volume is a priority.

Ingredients (2–3 servings)

• 120g shelled walnut kernels (soaked for 20 minutes to reduce bitterness)
• 900–1100ml water (adjusted to achieve target consistency)
• 45–65g rock sugar (adjust to taste)
• 1 small pinch of salt (balances sweetness and enhances walnut flavour)
• 1 tsp glutinous rice flour dissolved in 2 tbsp cold water (optional; improves body and uniformity)

Method

1. Soak walnut kernels in warm water for 15–20 minutes. Gently rub to loosen and remove as much of the thin papery inner skin as possible; rinse under cold water. This step reduces the characteristic walnut bitterness that can be unpalatable at high concentration.
2. Combine walnuts with 800ml of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer; cover and cook for 20–25 minutes until the walnuts are completely soft throughout.
3. Transfer walnuts and all cooking liquid to a blender. Blend on high speed for 90 seconds until completely smooth with no detectable grain.
4. Pass the blended paste through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing firmly to extract maximum liquid. Discard all solid residue.
5. Return the sieved walnut paste to the saucepan over medium-low heat. Add rock sugar, salt, and dissolved glutinous rice flour slurry if using. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is fully uniform with no lumps.
6. Adjust consistency with hot water to reach IDDSI Level 3: tilting a loaded spoon, the paste should flow slowly and continuously, leaving a pale brown coating on the back. Add water incrementally if too thick; simmer gently to reduce if too thin.
7. Taste and adjust sweetness. Serve warm.

Texture Test

IDDSI Level 3 (Liquidised) confirmation: Tilt a loaded spoon — the walnut paste should flow slowly and continuously, leaving a thin pale-brown coating on the back. Using the IDDSI syringe test, 1–10ml should be expelled over 10 seconds at 45 degrees. The paste must be completely free of walnut fragments or skin pieces.

Particle-free confirmation: Rub a small amount between clean fingertips — no gritty or granular sensation should be present. If any texture is detected, pass through the sieve a second time using a finer mesh or muslin cloth.

Safety Notes

⚠️ Walnut fragments are not Level 3-compliant — incompletely blended or unsieved walnut paste contains solid nut pieces that pose a choking risk for individuals on Level 3 Liquidised diets. Thorough blending and sieving is non-negotiable.

⚠️ Tree nut allergy — walnuts are a major tree nut allergen. Confirm allergy status with care staff before introducing to any resident. Do not prepare or serve to any individual with a known nut allergy.

⚠️ Serving temperature — confirm the paste is below 60°C before serving. Hot liquids carry heightened scalding risk for individuals with reduced oral sensation commonly associated with dysphagia.

Sourcing in Hong Kong

• Shelled walnut kernels: Supermarkets and wet market dried goods stalls; choose pale yellow, intact kernels without dark spots or rancid odour; vacuum-sealed packaging preserves freshness and prevents oxidation
• Rock sugar: Supermarket condiment aisles; traditional yellow crystal rock sugar provides a gentle sweetness that complements the earthy bitterness of walnut particularly well

Nutrition

Approximately 200 kcal per serving (200ml), 5g protein, 16g fat (predominantly omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fats), 14g carbohydrate. Walnuts are one of the richest plant-based sources of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, a plant omega-3), supporting cardiovascular and cognitive health — both areas of significant relevance in elderly care. Walnuts also provide vitamin E, manganese, and polyphenol antioxidants associated with anti-inflammatory effects. For elderly individuals with reduced appetite, the high energy density of walnut paste (over 200 kcal per 200ml) offers efficient caloric supplementation in a manageable serving volume, in a warm, naturally sweet format that typically achieves better voluntary intake than neutral nutritional supplements.

Cultural Note

Walnut paste holds a distinguished place in Cantonese wellness and dessert culture, where walnuts are traditionally associated with brain health — a folk observation that aligns with modern nutritional research on omega-3 fatty acids and cognitive function. It is a permanent fixture of Hong Kong’s tong sui shop menus and a well-loved winter warmer in Cantonese households. Presenting a Level 3-compliant version enables elderly residents with dysphagia to continue experiencing a dessert that carries both personal nostalgia and cultural significance, while meeting the safety requirements of their dietary prescription.