Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia nuts are a tropically grown nut with U.S. crops in Hawaii and California. Considered a gourmet nut, they are flavorful and typically unsalted. Macadamia nuts are delicious by themselves and when roasted, but their delicate flavor is difficult to compliment with justice.

While any chocolate, dark, light, or milk variety, is the ideal coating or combination for nuts; macadamia nuts are perfectly suited for white chocolate. Perhaps the most popular treat combining these two delicate yet rich flavors is the white chocolate macadamia nut cookie. Sold in both fresh-baked and pre-packaged varieties in bakeries, bistros, grocery stores, and cafes, this popular cookie is a favorite of many and goes perfectly with coffee for dessert. Even the Pillsbury Company markets this particular cookie in break and bake fashion.

Plenty of recipes exist for homemade white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, but because these two ingredients go so well together, it behooves any cook to seek new ways to combine them. There are a few excellent recipes for a candy-like confection that combine macadamia nuts, white chocolate, and pretzels. Variations of the recipe, similar to peanut brittle, exist but is basically as outlined below.

Place 2 cups of macadamia nuts and 1 cup of pretzel sticks into a large zip lock bag or between two layers of wax paper. With a kitchen mallet, gently break the nuts and pretzels into pieces. Turn out onto a jelly roll pan lined with wax paper. Melt 16 ounces of white chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. White chocolate burns quicker than milk or dark chocolate, so stir often and pay close attention to it melting. When chocolate has melted smooth, pour over the macadamia nuts and pretzels. Once it has cooled, gently break into pieces slightly larger than bite-sized. The now chocolate-coated treat can be stored in a container for up to a week.