Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nuts Recipes

CHOCOLATE-CARAMELIZED MACADAMIA NUTS

Steps:

• Place granulated sugar and macadamia nuts in a 4-quart saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the sugar melts and begins to recrystallize and the nuts become white and coated with sugar, about 12 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a baking sheet, and set aside until cool enough to handle. Separate the nuts, and let cool completely.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Using a fork, dip the sugared nuts in the melted chocolate, coating completely. Place on a lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate has set.
• Coat nuts a second time, as in step 2, with chocolate. Refrigerate until set.
• Sift confectioners' sugar over a baking pan. Roll nuts in sugar. Transfer the sugar and the nuts to an airtight container, and store in a cool, dry place up to 1 week.

CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL MACADAMIA NUT TART

Steps:

• For crust:.
• Blend flour, powdered sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1 tablespoon ice water and blend just until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is dry. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Using lightly floured fingers, press dough firmly and evenly onto bottom and up sides of pan. Chill crust 1 hour.
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust until pale golden around edges and sides are set, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans; bake until crust is golden and cooked through, about 14 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool crust completely in pan.
• For ganache:
• Bring cream to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until smooth.
• Spoon 3 tablespoons ganache into 1 corner of small resealable plastic bag and seal; set aside at room temperature for piping. Spread remaining ganache evenly over bottom of crust. Sprinkle chopped macadamia nuts evenly over ganache layer in crust. Freeze crust while preparing caramel filling.
• For caramel filling:.
• Combine sugar and 1/3 cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is golden amber, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add cream and butter; stir until any caramel bits dissolve and mixture is smooth. Attach candy thermometer to side of pan and bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat. Boil without stirring until thermometer registers 240°F, about 2 1/2 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Whisk in vanilla and salt.
• Remove crust from freezer. Working quickly, pour caramel filling into crust. Gently shake tart pan to allow filling to settle evenly in crust. Cool completely at room temperature, about 3 hours. Remove crust from freezer.
• Place reserved resealable plastic bag with chocolate ganache in microwave and heat in 5-second intervals just until smooth and pourable. Using scissors, cut off very small tip from corner of bag with ganache. Pipe ganache decoratively over caramel filling in crosshatch pattern. Chill until chocolate is set, about 20 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Bring tart to room temperature before serving.
• Remove sides from tart pan. Place tart on platter. Cut into wedges and serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

SUNDAES WITH CHOCOLATE CARAMEL AND MACADAMIA NUT SAUCE

Steps:

• Stir sugar and bourbon in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high. Boil without stirring until mixture turns deep amber color, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cream (mixture will bubble up) and whisk until smooth. Return to boil, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, add butter and chocolate and stir until smooth. Mix in nuts. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill. Before using, rewarm over low heat, stirring constantly and thinning with small amount of water if necessary.)
• Serve ice cream with sauce.

OOIE-GOOIE-CHOCOLATE -CARAMEL-MACADAMIA CHUNK COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter & sugars in large mixing bowl. Add eggs, extracts, syrup, and cream.
• In another bowl, sift and mix flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips, oats, and toasted nuts. Fold dry ingredients into butter mixture.
• Chill dough for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 and PLACE A PIECE OF PARCHMENT PAPER ONTO YOUR COOKIE SHEET.
• Place a heaping tablespoon of dough into palm of your hand, and press one chocolate covered caramel candy into center of each piece of dough. Wrap dough around candy, covering completely.
• Bake cookies for 14-16 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool in pan until well set, then onto rack. Don't eat hot, as caramel is LAVA-like 8-).
• Serve with *plenty* of milk.