Best Tchoup Chop Macadamia Nut Pie With Vanilla Bean Ice Cream And Nocello Whipped Cream Recipes

MACADAMIA NUT CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Pulse the flour, coconut and salt in a food processor until the coconut is finely chopped. Add the butter and shortening and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal with pea-size bits of butter. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough begins to come together (add more water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, if necessary). Turn out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and pat into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out the dough into an 11-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate. Fold the overhanging dough under itself and crimp the edges with your fingers. Pierce the bottom all over with a fork. Refrigerate the crust until firm, about 15 minutes. Line the crust with foil, then fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges are golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and continue baking until golden all over, 10 to 15 more minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Heat 1 1/2 cups milk and the macadamia nuts in a medium saucepan over medium heat (do not boil). Whisk the egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, the cornstarch, vanilla and the remaining 1/4 cup milk in a bowl until combined. Gradually whisk half of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, then pour back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens and just begins to boil, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the white chocolate until smooth. Transfer the filling to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Once the filling is cool, bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Whisk the egg whites and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a large heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over the pan (do not let the bowl touch the water) and whisk until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is warm. Remove the bowl from the pan and beat with a hand mixer until the egg whites are glossy and stiff, about 5 minutes. Fold the beaten egg whites into the filling, then spread in the prepared crust. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Just before serving, make the whipped cream for topping: Beat the heavy cream and confectioners' sugar with a mixer until medium peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe around the edge of the pie. Top with the macadamia nuts and toasted coconut.

CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT PIE

Steps:

• To prepare the crust, in a bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg yolk, cream, and vanilla and mix well. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, and salt. Mix the flour mixture with the wet ingredients until incorporated. Press into a square on a piece of plastic wrap, wrap in the plastic, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap, and knead on a floured work surface until the dough is pliable. If using a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thick and 12 inches in diameter. Spray the tart pan with vegetable-oil cooking spray. Carefully transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press firmly into the bottom and sides of the pan. Using a rolling pin, press down on the pan edges to trim off the excess dough. If using individual 3-inch tartlet pans with removable bottoms, divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Roll each one out to 1/4 inch thick and 4 inches in diameter. Spray the tartlet pans with vegetable-oil cooking spray. Carefully transfer each dough round to a prepared tartlet pan and press firmly into the bottom and sides of the pans. Using a rolling pin, press down on the edges of the pans to trim off the excess dough. Refrigerate the lined tart or tartlet pans for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the pastry shells with aluminum foil. Bake the 10-inch tart for 15 minutes, or the tartlets for 10 minutes, until the pastry begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove the shells from the oven and allow to cool before removing the foil. Decrease the oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• To prepare the filling, in a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the chocolate until completely melted. In a bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, and corn syrup together. Add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and mix well. Add the vanilla extract and mix well. Fold in the nuts.
• Pour the filling into the prebaked shells. Bake the 1-inch tart for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or the tartlets for 35 to 40 minutes, untill the filling puffs up in the center but is not cracked. Allow to cool on racks and then refrigerate for 2 hours to make unmolding easier.
• To prepare the whipped cream, combine all the ingredients in a bowl, and whip with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
• To unmold, remove the pan sides and slide the pie or tarts onto a serving plate. Serve the pie at room temperature with the whipped cream and chopped nuts.
• Makes 1 (10-inch) pie or 8 individual tarts.

REALLY VANILLY WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Beat the cream and vanilla in a chilled non-reactive bowl with a whisk or an electric mixer just until they hold a loose peak. (Lift the beater from the cream and look at the shape of the peak at the end of the whisk; it should hold a lazy curve.) Sift the sugar over the cream and continue to beat just until it holds a soft peak. Take care not to over beat the cream or it will be look curdy. Serve, or refrigerate covered for up to 4 hours.