Macadamia Candy

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Macadamia Candy has a buttery flavor with a satisfying crunch, while not being too sweet. Warning: it’s hard to eat just one piece!

This recipe is safe for someone on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet or GAPS.

This recipe is a reworking of Walnut Chocolate Toffee using macadamia nuts. I had the good fortune of getting some macadamia nuts on a recent trip to Hawaii. If you are going to the Big Island, I would recommend going on a tour to Hamakua Macadamia Nut Company and bring back a big bag of macadamias!

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Butter a piece of wax paper before pouring in the candy to avoid excessive sticking.

1/2c organic butter
1/4-1/3c local honey
1/2tsp sea salt
1T organic whipping cream
1T organic vanilla extract
1c organic macadamia nuts
As I’ve said before, making candy is a bit of a science and a bit of an art. Some people use the cooking time or temperature to decide if the candy is ready. Others use the color of the candy — that of a brown paper bag — to tell when the candy is ready. Another method is to drop a small amount of candy into a bowl of cold water and test the firmness of the candy between the thumb and forefinger. I find using the cooking time, the color of the candy and the water test (when in doubt) works best for me.

Butter a piece of wax paper and place it inside a 8″x8″ glass baking tray. In a sauce pan, warm the butter, honey and sea salt and bring to a boil. Stir all the time and boil for 7-8 minutes. This longer boiling time will result in a harder candy. Remove the candy from the heat and add the cream and vanilla extract and mix well. Be careful, the hot mixture will spit and foam up.

Stir in the macadamia nuts and quickly transfer the candy to a buttered, waxed paper. Made sure the candy is smooth and put the tray into the freezer. In about 10-15 minutes the candy will be ready to cut. Remove the wax paper and candy from the tray and place onto the counter for easier cutting. Cut into 32 pieces. Serve when completely cooled.

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Remove the wax paper and candy from the glass tray before cutting. It’s easier to cut the candy before it has completely cooled.