Chilli Chocolate Macadamia Tart

Chilli Chocolate Macadamia Tart

Serves 10

 

Ingredients
Pastry
50g unsalted macadamias
200g plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon caster sugar
100g cold un-salted butter, cut into cubes
1 egg
2 teaspoons water

Filling
7 egg yolks
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 cup macadamias, roasted, roughly chopped
150ml thickened cream
200g dark chocolate, finely chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C, fan-forced.

To make the pastry, in a food processor blend the macadamias until finely chopped (be careful not to over blend) set aside. Blend the flour, salt, sugar and butter until they resemble breadcrumbs, add the chopped macadamias. Lightly whisk the eggs and water together and add to the food processor
with the motor running. As soon as the pastry starts to form a ball, stop blending and wrap in cling wrap shaping into a disc and place into the fridge for an hour.
Roll out the pastry between two sheets of non-stick baking paper until 3mm thickness and line a 26cm (10 inch) fluted removable base tart tin and trim the edges. Place into the freezer for an hour.

Line with non-stick baking paper and fill with pastry weights or uncooked beans or rice and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the weights and paper and place back into the oven for a further 10 minutes or until the pastry is golden.
Reduce the oven heat to 150°C, fan-forced.
Place the egg yolks and sugar into a medium sized bowl and whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Add the macadamias and chilli flakes and stir to combine.
Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat and just bring to the boil, remove from the heat and add the chocolate and stir until smooth. Pour over the egg mixture and fold through. Pour into the tart shell and bake for 15-20 minutes or until just set. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving with whipped cream and mixed berries.

 

Aussie Bees Go Nuts For Macadamias

Millions of bees are about to go buzzing mad for Australia's beautiful blooming macadamia trees in a fantastic frenzy feast which will play a crucial role in developing the world's finest nut, the only commercially successful native Australian food product.

Marking the first stage of the macadamia growing cycle, the explosion of bees and fragrant pink and white blooms is a natural spectacle lasting around two weeks, starting in Bundaberg at the end of August then drifting south along the eastern seaboard of Queensland and New South Wales to Nambucca, finishing around early October.

This year's blossoming cycle is anticipated to be shorter but much sweeter than previous years with the return of colder winter weather in growing areas producing a return to a more normal growing pattern.

Better farmgate prices have also allowed Australia's world class macadamia growers to improve their investments in making sure their orchards are in great condition to produce an awesome blossoming and high level of nutset, which will eventually ripen into nuts should they reach their full potential.

CEO of Australian Macadamia Society Jolyon Burnett said the strong start to the season has all the makings of a bountiful yield, if the conditions remain favourable. 'Weather conditions are just right for a good quality blossoming, it's very exciting. The shorter cycle will also make life easier for our growers as they will be able to consolidate their tree husbandry over a shorter timeframe unlike previous years which saw milder conditions create an earlier blossoming which lasted over a longer period. Growing Australia's native nut takes lots of loving attention so this should help them to manage and protect their crops better."

Grower Cathy Ferndale said: 'The first sign of flowers always brings a lot of anticipation. It's truly enchanting to watch the trees erupt into new life and the bees do their magic. While there is still a lot of hard work to be done of course between now and harvest, and a good blossoming does not always guarantee a good crop, the season is shaping up quite nicely. Our fingers are crossed the weather keeps working with us over the next six months."

The Australian Macadamia Society is also preparing to create a buzz with the launch of a new research project looking to identify the most effective way for pollination be it through honey bees, native bees or other insects. It is hoped the research will provide valuable new knowledge to enhance the nation's production of macadamias and boost future growth.

Australia is the birthplace of macadamias and this year marks the 40th anniversary of the delicious nut's commercial production dating back to 1974. From humble beginnings, the industry now has over 750 growers who produce around 40,000 tonnes of nuts-in-shell each year, of which 70 per cent is exported to more than 40 countries around the world. Macadamias' reputation and appeal have been built on their unique creamy, buttery flavour and texture, which is a source of great pride amongst those involved in the industry.