Stephen Ceideburg
1/4 ts Baking soda
3/4 c Coarsely chopped unsalted
-macadamia nuts
1/4 c Water
1/2 c Sugar
1 tb Butter
FILLING:
1/2 ts Gelatin
1 tb Dark rum
1 c Milk
6 tb Sugar, divided
3 Eggs, separated
1 tb Cornstarch
2 tb Butter
3/4 c Coarsely chopped macadamia
-nut brittle
3/4 c Heavy cream
1 ts Vanilla
One 9-inch baked pie shell
TOPPING:
1/2 c Heavy cream
NUT BRITTLE:
Unflavored vegetable oil
This pie has a crisp, golden crust and a delicious creamy filling
dotted with nut brittle. It’s a perfect ending to a simple meal.
Macadamia brittle: Spread a thin film of vegetable oil on a baking
sheet. Sprinkle baking soda over nuts in a small bowl.
Combine water and sugar in a 1 1/2 quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and
place over low heat; swirl to moisten the sugar. Heat until the sugar
dissolves. Add the butter, raise heat to medium, and boil the mixture
until it registers 280 degrees F. on a candy thermometer, 5 to 7
minutes.
Remove from heat, immediately add nuts, and stir briefly just to
combine. (Too much stirring will deflate the brittle.) The mixture
will foam. Pour onto the oiled baking sheet. Set aside to cool and
harden.
When completely cool, store in an airtight metal container for up to 1
month at room temperature. Makes
1 cup.
Filling: Sprinkle gelatin over rum to soften. Combine the milk with 2
tablespoons of the sugar in a 1 1/2 quart saucepan. Set over medium
heat and bring to a boil. Whisk the egg yolks with 2 tablespoons
sugar and the cornstarch in a small bowl. When the milk boils, remove
from heat, and pour about half into the yolk mixture, whisking to mix
completely. Pour this mixture into the milk, return to medium heat
and cook, whisking constantly as mixture begins to thicken. Whisk
until mixture is smooth and very thick; remove from heat. Add gelatin
and stir until dissolved. Add butter, and whisk until melted.
Pour into a bowl to cool. Place plastic wrap on top of the cream to
prevent a film from forming.
When cool, chop brittle in food processor into coarse piec- es, about
1 cup. Reserve 1/4 cup for decoration. Whip the 3/4 cup heavy cream
with vanilla until very soft peaks form. Whip egg whites with 1
tablespoon sugar until stiff, shiny peaks form. Fold brittle into the
cream filling. Then fold in the whites alternately with the whipped
cream. Pour filling into the cooled baked crust. Refrigerate at least
1 hour, or until set. Cover with plastic wrap.
Topping: Whip cream with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar until soft peaks
form, then spread over pie. Sprinkle the reserved brittle on top. PER
SERVING: 460 calories, 6 g protein, 33 g carbohydrate, 34 g fat (15 g
saturated), 145 mg cholesterol, 245 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.
From an article by Flo Braker in the San Francisco Chronicle, 6/12/91.
Yields
1 Servings