You can’t go to a holiday get together in Hawaii without finding at least a dozen dishes that feature local macadamia nuts. Now that I live on the mainland attending a holiday party and finding a dish made with the hearty salty nuts is rare (unless it’s a dish I bring to pass). And macadamia nuts are readily available in all 50 states so there really is no excuse for not experimenting with them in the kitchen.
My aunt makes a macadamia nut pie to die for, but it’s a bit labor intensive, not to mention, incredibly rich. One slice probably contains more calories and fat than an entire plate of Christmas cookies.
The following macadamia nut recipes are not difficult to bake and they will certainly not make you feel guilty for indulging in seconds. Rather, they are delicious and unique offerings that will surely be the talk of any holiday party… and you don’t have to be in Hawaii to enjoy them.
PEAR-MACADAMIA NUT SQUARES
Ingredients:
3 ripe fresh pears, peeled, cored and sliced
Crust:
1-3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping:
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
3 large eggs
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 7-by-11-inch baking dish.
To make crust: Combine ingredients and mix well. Press into the bottom of prepared baking dish.
Evenly distribute pear slices over crust.
To make topping: Combine ingredients well. Pour over crust.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until set in the center. Cool completely before cutting.
Makes 12 squares.
MACADAMIA NUT-GINGER BISCOTTI
Ingredients:
4 egg whites
Dash of salt
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups (7 ounces) macadamia nuts
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch square pan.
Beat egg whites and salt until frothy. Gradually add sugar and beat until still peaks form. Mix in the ground and grated gingers and the almond and vanilla extracts. Fold in flour and nuts. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
Bake 30 minutes, or until set.
Remove from oven, invert onto a rack, lift off the pan, and let cool 15 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 150 degrees. Slice the baked sheet into long slender slices as thinly as possible. Lay the slices flat on 2 ungreased baking sheets and return to oven. Bake 30 minutes, or until light brown.
Turn off the oven and let the cookies dry in the oven for 1 hour longer.
Makes about four-dozen cookies.
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