Monday 27 May 2013

Macadamia and Honey Cookies

Macadamia and Honey Cookies




A bonus of keeping bees is their gorgeous by-product - HONEY.  
Fresh honey extracted straight from the hive is incomparable in flavour, aroma and texture.
Combine this with macadamia nuts and you have a winner.

My mother recently returned from a holiday in northern New South Wales, bringing freshly picked macadamia nuts from a macadamia nut farm.  These were delicious and quickly sealed to keep in the freshness.  Some had been tossed in different seasonings from Italian to Australian bush flavourings, but all I wanted was the plain variety.  Along with the last of the honey harvest for the season, I was tingling with anticipation and reached for the flour and sugar to combine away.
I like to prepare biscuits, slices or cakes on the weekend.  As long as the cookie jar is filled every Sunday with a different offering - which usually lasts for about 3 days - I, and therefore the family, am happy.

Cookie baking is to be done quickly, as opposed to a gallant dessert which one can labour over for hours.

Beat butter, honey and  sugar until creamed.



Macadamia Honey Cookies 

125 butter, softened
2 large tablespoons honey
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 1/4 cups plain flour
3/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup macadamias, finely chopped
2 tablespoons raw sugar (for dipping) optional

Cream butter, honey and sugar in a bowl with electric mixer until well combined and smooth.
Stir in flour, sifted bicarbonate of soda, coconut and macadamia nuts.
Roll into small balls, flatten slightly and dip one side into the raw sugar if desired, 
before placing on a silicon or baking paper lined tray.  
Bake in moderate oven 180C for 10 minutes until lightly browned.
Cool on trays for a few minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool.    Yield 35 biscuits.


Freshly baked biscuits.




Enjoy with a cappuccino, a cup of steaming black tea or a glass of milk.
Perfect for our Autumn weather when on some days, all you want to do is bake and cook.
Buon appetito, cheers Merryn

2 comments:

  1. Oohhh you have bees! We've been thinking about that but will probably go for native bees as I don't think I could eat that much honey. We do have a macademia tree - maybe we should swap honey for nuts.

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  2. Mel you are so lucky to have a macadamia tree. I tried growing one but after three years it had still not reached 1 metre high so it was replaced by a persimmon. I would love to swap honey for nuts! Native or Italian bees help with the pollination of your garden so much :D

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