White Chocolate Macadamia Caramel Bars Food

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHUNK-MACADAMIA NUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
• Using a mixer, beat the butter in a large mixing bowl until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the brown sugar and mix together until smooth.
• Add the egg and vanilla. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Blend in the flour mixture in 3 stages and stir in the white chocolate and the nuts.
• Scoop out walnut-sized mounds of the cookie dough and place on the cookie sheet, leaving 2-inches between the mounds. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cookies are golden. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and transfer the cookies from the parchment to cooling racks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Freeze for longer storage.

WHITE CHOCOLATE-MACADAMIA-CARAMEL BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F (325 F for dark or nonstick pan).
• Combine cake mix, oil, water and eggs with electric mixer on low speed until smooth.
• Spread into ungreased 13X9-inch pan.
• Bake 18-22 minutes until top is golden brown.
• Remove partially baked crust from oven.
• In 1-cup measuring cup, microwave caramel topping about 15 seconds or until warm and pourable, and drizzle over crust.
• Crumble cookies over crust.
• Bake 18-22 minutes longer or until golden brown.
• Cool completely and cut into bars.

WHITE CHOCOLATE-MACADAMIA NUT BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Grease rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Heat butter and brown sugar in 3-quart saucepan over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted; remove from heat.
• Beat vanilla and eggs into sugar mixture with electric mixer on medium speed. Beat in flour and baking powder on low speed. Stir in half of the nuts and 1/4 cup of the baking chips. Pour into pan. Sprinkle with remaining nuts and 1/2 cup of the baking chips.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and center is set. Cool about 30 minutes.
• Melt remaining 1/4 cup baking chips and the shortening in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Pour into small resealable plastic food-storage bag; seal bag. Cut small opening in a corner of the bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle melted chips over bars. Cool until set. For 48 bars, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows.

WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT BARK

Steps:

• Line a 13 by 9-inch cookie sheet with waxed paper, allowing 2 inches of paper to hang over sides. Melt all but 1/4 cup of semisweet chocolate morsels in microwave on medium power for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, or until smooth. Pour chocolate onto prepared sheet and spread to cover entire surface and form 1 even layer. Melt all but 1/4 cup of white chips in microwave on medium power for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, or until smooth. Drizzle melted white chocolate over semisweet chocolate layer. Using a toothpick or skewer, swirl the melted chocolates together, creating a marbled effect.
• Place nuts in a plastic bag and crush, using a rolling pin. Sprinkle chocolate with nuts and remaining semisweet and white morsels. Gently press toppings into melted chocolates. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until chocolate is firm. Remove waxed paper from chocolate. Cut or break chocolate into bite-size pieces.

CARAMELISED WHITE CHOCOLATE, GINGER CARAMEL & MACADAMIA TARTS

Steps:

• For the sweet pastry, put the flour, almonds, icing sugar, salt and vanilla seeds into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and pulse again until fully combined. If the pastry isn't coming together into a uniform mass, add chilled water, 1 tsp at a time, and pulse until the dough starts to come together. Be careful not to overwork the dough as you will make the pastry tough, and it's likely to shrink more when cooked. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and lightly knead until smooth and uniform in colour. Wrap in cling film and chill until needed.
• To make the caramelised white chocolate, heat oven to 120C/100C fan/gas ½. Put the chocolate on a large baking tray and bake for 45 mins-1 hr, giving it a good stir every 10 mins, until it's a light golden brown - almost the colour of peanut butter. After 45 mins or so, the chocolate may start to look chalky or seized, but should become smooth again after a good stir. If not, don't worry, as it will be melted again in the next stage. Scrape the chocolate into a bowl, cover and set aside.
• For the bavarois, pour the milk into a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, put the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk together. Put the gelatine in a small bowl of cold water and leave to soften for 3-5 mins. Once the milk has come to the boil, pour onto the egg mixture while whisking quickly together to prevent the eggs scrambling. Pour back into the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens (if you have an instant-read thermometer, it should be 75-80C). Pour the custard into a bowl and add 150g of the caramelised chocolate and the gelatine (squeezing out the water), stirring until both have melted. Sieve through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps from the chocolate. Cover the bowl with cling film and chill until the custard has cooled and started to set around the side of the bowl - but don't leave for too long or it will set completely. Whip the cream until it holds soft peaks and carefully fold this through the custard until smooth and fully combined. Pour the mixture into the holes of your silicone dome mould and carefully place in the freezer until frozen solid (best left overnight).
• Now bake your tart cases. Remove the pastry from the fridge and allow to soften slightly for 15 mins before rolling out until it is around 2mm thick. Cut out rounds of pastry just larger than the 6 tartlet cases and use to carefully line. Place the lined cases onto a parchment-lined baking tray and chill in the fridge or freezer until the pastry is firm. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line the tarts with a piece of parchment and fill with baking beans or rice. Bake the tarts for 20 mins, then remove the parchment and beans, and bake for a further 5-10 mins until the bases of the tarts start to brown. Allow the tarts to cool fully.
• For the ginger macadamia caramel, put the cream and ginger in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove the pan from the heat and cover with a lid, allowing the ginger to infuse into the cream for 1 hr. Strain the cream through a fine mesh sieve into a measuring jug, topping back up to 120ml if needed. Put the sugar in a medium saucepan over a medium heat and cook until the sugar has melted and caramelised, swirling but not stirring, until it is a dark caramel colour. Pour in half the cream - be careful as this mixture will bubble up violently. Once the caramel has settled, add in the remaining cream, stirring over the heat if any lumps have formed. Add the butter and ¾ of the nuts, and stir to combine. Once the caramel has cooled slightly, divide it between the tart shells.
• For the glaze, put the remaining 225g of caramelised white chocolate in a bowl. Pour the cream into a saucepan and bring to the boil, then pour over the chocolate, stirring until you have a smooth, pourable glaze. Remove the bavarois domes from the freezer and carefully unmould, placing them on a wire rack set over a baking tray. While the glaze is still warm and fluid, pour over the domes, making sure the entire surface is covered. Using a small palette knife, lift the domes from the rack and carefully place on top of the tarts.
• To decorate, chop the remaining nuts so they are fairly fine, then press around the base of the domes where they sit on the tarts. Chill for 30 mins (or up to 24 hrs) to allow the bavarois to defrost before serving.

CHOCOLATE GLAZED MACADAMIA CARAMEL SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325*.
• Lightly grease a 9x13" glass baking pan or coat with nonstick spray.
• Line the pan with aluminum foil, letting the foil overhang the two narrow ends by about 2".
• For the shortbread; In a large bowl, with electric mixer on low, then medium speed, beat together the butter, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla until light and very well blended, about 2 minutes.
• Beat or stir in the flour until evenly incorporated.
• Firmly press the dough into the baking dish.
• Lay a sheet of wax paper over the dough, then press it out to the edges and smooth on top.Peel off and discard the paper.
• Bake in the middle of the oven for 27- 32 minutes or until pale golden all over and slightly darker at the edges.
• Transfer the dish to wire rack and set
• aside.
• FOR THE CARAMEL. In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the cream, butter and salt. Bring just to a simmer over medium-high heat; immediately remove from the heat.
• In a medium, heavy saucepan, combine half of the sugar and the corn syrup over medium heat, stirring constantly.
• When the sugar is full incorporated and liquefies, stir in about half of the remaining sugar.
• When this sugar liquefies, stir in the remaining sugar,.
• Cook, stirring and scraping down the pan sides, for 5-7 minutes more, or until all the sugar liquefies,, bubbles and turns a medium tan color.
• Immediately remove from heat,.
• Working carefully to avoid splatters and steam, pour the hot cream mixture into the caramel, stirring and scraping the pan bottom and sides with a long handled wooden spon until the caramel completely dissolves.
• Rinse all the sugar crystals from the spoon.
• Return the caramel mixture to the burner over medium-high heat.
• Insert a candy thermometer into the mixture, being sure the tip doesn't touch the bottom of the pan. continue cooking, stirring gently until the thermometer reqisters 246*-2467*.
• Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Stir in vanilla.
• Being careful ot to scrape any caramel or sugar crystals from the pan sides, pour the caramel through a fine sieve over the shortbread.
• Tip the baking dish back and forth to distribute the caramel evenly.
• Sprinkle the macadamia nuts evenly over the caramel.
• Let stand until the caramel cools to warm Using the palm of your hand, press down on the nuts to embed them.
• For the glaze: in a small microwave safe bowl, microwave the cream and corn syrup on 100% power for 30 seconds, or until very hot but not boiling; set aside.
• In a small microwave safe bowl, microwave the chocolates and butter on 100% power for 1 minute. Stir well. Continue microwaving on 50% power, stirring at 30 second intervals.
• Stop microwaving before the chocolates completely melt and let the residual heat finish the job. Slowly add the cream mixture into the chocolate mixture until well blended and smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Spread the glaze evenly over the cooled caramel. Let stand until complete cooled.
• Refrigerate the shortbread until chilled. Using the overhanging foil as ahandles, transfer the shortbread to a cutting board. Carefully peel off and discard the foil.
• Using a large, sharp knife, cut the shortbread into 36 bars, wipe knife between cuts.
• Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 1 week,.

DARK & WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
• Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; set aside.
• Chop 1/2 the white chocolate into very small pieces.
• Chop remaining white chocolate and bittersweet chocolate into large chunks; set aside.
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan--don't allow to bubble or color. Remove from heat and add finely chopped white chocolate. DON'T STIR, just set aside.
• With mixer, beat sugar, eggs and vanilla until thick and lemon colored, about 5 minutes.
• Lower speed and add the butter mixture; mix just to blend.
• Add flour mixture and mix just until combined. Use rubber spatula to fold in chocolates and nuts.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake brownies until set, approx 30 minutes, until a toothpick in center clings moist crumbs. Just don't over bake.
• Let cool about a 1 hour, then cut into squares.