Bello Linzer torte

The Linzer torte is a shortcrust pastry filled with jam and topped with a double lattice. In Italy the Crostata is a "rustic free-form version of an open fruit tart". In Greece, Egypt, and South America they call it Pastafrola. The history of the Linzer torte goes back to Egypt and the Roman empire. It usually contains  red jam, lemon and nuts as the main ingredients for taste. Exotic ingredients like cane sugar, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla and nutmeg were only added later in Europe.

The Bello Linzer torte is adapted for local NSW ingredients. Seasonal native Davidson's plums have been made into a prize-winning jam by Jan. And Ross baked the 'rustic free-form version' of the open fruit cake. Edible Culture found the result very delicious.

GET
A 26 cm cake form ca 4 cm high

350g davidson plum jam (or any thick jam)

200 g wheat flour
125 g butter or macadamia oil
150 g macadamias or almonds, grated
125 g honey
2 egg yolks
1 sm spoon of cocoa
½ tsp cinnamon
some nutmeg
a pinch of cloves
vanilla
½ lemon peel grated
some Kirschwasser
egg and lemon rind

DO

Mix honey, nuts flour and cocoa, cinnamon cloves and vanilla in a large bowl. Form an indentation and add the egg and the kirsch liqueur in the middle. Add the butter or Macadamia oil on the edges and quickly knead into a dough. Cover it and let it rest for an hour in the fridge. Heat the oven to 180 degrees. Take two thirds and roll it over the bottom cake form. Keep some for the sides, ca 2- 3 cm high, trim edges. Roll out the remaining dough and cut it into equal strips.

Cover the casing with a thick layer of jam and lay the strips into a double lattice across the jam. Cover the lattice and margins with a mixed egg, Kirschwasser and the lemon zest.
Bake for approx. 60 minutes at 180 degrees on the second shelf from the bottom.  Let it cool on a rack in its form.

Banana Blueberry Cake

Get

200g organic macadamias
9 ripe bananas (more if small)
3 tbsp honey
1 tsp ground cinnamon
5 eggs separated
180g unsalted butter
about 100g flour
5 tsp baking powder (no aluminium or phosphate, quantity depends on the type of baking powder, do not use too much)

Do

Peel the bananas, cut them up.
Whip the egg whites until stiff, then add 1 tbsp honey and continue beating until stiff.
Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer until it is soft. Beat in alternately the egg yolks and 2 tbsp honey.
Beat well into a soft mixture.
Mix in half the banana pieces.
Grate the macadamias coarsely. Beat them into the mixture.
Add the cinnamon.
Add the flour a tablespoon at a time while beating. Alternately add the baking powder so it mixes in evenly. Only use enough flour so that the mixture is thick but still falls slowly - “heavily” - from the spoon (maybe only 3-4 tbsps). Beat well.
Lift the egg whites under the mixture. 

Preheat the oven to 190°. Butter a baking form and dust it with a little flour.
Add half of the mixture to the form and spread it evenly to cover the whole bottom. Place the remaining banana pieces on top and press in a little. Cover with the remaining mixture.
Sprinkle some fresh blueberries on top.
Bake on the 2nd shelf from the bottom for 40 minutes. If it starts to get too brown cover it with paper after 25 minutes. It should be golden. Test with a thin knife that it is cooked. The knife should come out clean. If it is not clean, return covered to the oven for another 10 minutes and test again.
Remove from form and cool.
Store in a glass dome.

Kent pumpkin stuffed with nuts and herbs

Get

1 Kent pumpkin
Some shallot greens
2-3 chopped medium champignons
Tahini , 2 tbsp
100g macadamia nuts
fresh thyme tips, lemon thyme, marjoram or oregano
1 clove garlic
olive oil
150g cheese for baking, e.g. young gouda, or matured cheddar

Do

Cut pumpkin across in two. Remove the seeds.
Steam or bake the halves until quite soft. Not too soft or it will become unstable. Let it cool down briefly for handling.
Place the halves face up in two baking dishes or in one large one.
Scrape out most of the flesh into a bowl leaving about 1 cm depth above the skin.
Mash the flesh. Add the finely chopped shallots. Grate in the macadamia nuts with a hand grater. Add the chopped thyme.
Add the mushrooms and tahini.
Mix these ingredients together .
Fill the mash into the pumpkin shells.
Mix the crushed garlic with the olive oil and spread it on top.
Top with cheese. 

Bake at 130°C on the second shelf of the oven for 30 minutes, then increase the temperature to 180°C for 10 minutes until they are golden.
Tip This dish is also delicious without the pumpkin and with more mushrooms instead.
Leave off the cheese and it is vegan.

Macadamia truffles

Four black Macadamia truffles with a red Hicksbeachia pinnatifolia and a blue Atherton Oak Nut

Get
300g organic macadamia nuts
1 tbsp honey (Prickly box honey, Bursaria spinosa)
2 tbsp organic cocoa powder


Do
In a saucepan or bowl, use a puree stick to make a smooth paste from the macadamias and the honey. Kneed the paste to marzipan. Cool for some time in the fridge.
Make small balls and roll them in the cocoa powder.
On a baking tray, bake the truffles for 15 minutes at 180°C.

Use more honey for a moister result. Serve with a fork. Refrigerate!

Atherton Oak Nuts

12 o'clock: Citrus australasica, 1, Cissus hypoglauca, 4, Davidson plum (Davidsonia spp.), 7, Athertonia diversifolia, 9, Linospadix monostachya, 11, Macadamia tetraphylla, centre: Athertonia nuts

The Athertonia diversifolia tree (Atherton Oak) is endemic to the North East Queensland rainforest. It is a tall tree with large lobed leaves and large blue edible fruits. Inside the most unusual blue fruit is a woody kernel that contains a nut. The nut has a brown skin like the almond. The white nut has a taste that is slightly reminiscent of macadamia nuts and coconut. It is delicious and unique.

Hicksbeachia pinnatifolia and Athertonia

"Caution should be exercised and any seeds with the flavour or odour of bitter almonds should be completely avoided." (link)

Athertonia fruit and nuts

DO:
Pick up the blue fruit as early as possible, as wildlife and fungi like to move in on them. Admire the multitudes of blues, violets and red of the fruit.

Athertonia nut shells and leaf

Peel the pith, which is white and fluffy underneath as close as possible to the kernel. Let them dry for a day. Once the pith remains have gone, crack the woody nut with a hammer.

The shell will usually split into two beautiful wooden halves with craft potential. Blanch the nut as for almonds. The white Athertonia nut is thin and flat. A light dry roast enhances the flavour even more.

Links:

Bush Tucker of the Wet Tropics, The Ma:Mu Rainforest Aboriginal people’s  traditional lands are around Innisfail, Palmerston and Millaa Millaa areas.  The area’s volcanic soils and high rainfall have produced some of the most diverse tropical rainforest in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. (PDF)

"But we now know, thanks to Bill Gammage,  Bruce Pascoe and other writers, that Aborigines deliberately shaped their environment through firestick farming and various kinds of cultivation." Jeff Sparrow, What I’m Reading

Click to enlarge

All depicted fruits were grown on the Mid North Coast of NSW. Thanks to Jan for passing on the knowledge about the endemic flora.

Chickpea Capsicum Casserole

GET

Main Dish
4 cups of cooked chickpeas
5 capsicums, green
2 leeks
2 onions
2 tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
Olive oil
Vegetable stock, hot
Herbs: lemon thyme, sage

Topping
4 Tsp. Macadamia paste
4 Tsp. Tahini
3 garlic cloves, mashed
2 Tsp. Olive oil

Do
Wash and chop the vegetables. Fry the onions and the capsicums until they are 'golden'. Add the leek and the tomatoes. Cook for a while, then add some hot stock, the cooked chickpeas, garlic and chopped herbs. Cover and let it simmer for approx. 30 min. There should be very little liquid left.

Preheat the oven. Mix the topping. Place chickpea mixture into a casserole. Distribute the topping evenly and heat for 1 hr. at 180 °C

Serve with
Celery Salad with Brazil nuts

Finger lime macadamia confectionary

GET

300g organic raw macadamia nuts
1 Tahitian lime
2 tbsp light clear honey
4 finger limes (Microcitrus australasica)
all organic


DO

Medium grate 300g macadamia nuts into a bowl.
Add the juice of the Tahitian lime. Mix.
Cut a finger limes in half lengthwise. Press the caviar-like fruit flesh out into a bowl. Remove any seeds. Add half to the mixture Add 2 tbsp clear honey. Mix well.
Press and compact the mixture with a spoon. Knead it. Press down and leave it in a cool place for 2 hours.
Cut into small portions and roll them into small balls between the palms of your hands.
Place the balls a few at a time on the remaining finger lime caviar and move the bowl so the balls become covered in finger lime. If necessary, use more finger limes.
Store in glass jars in the fridge.

Click for close up of vegan 'caviar'.

note:

This recipe will make a small number of high quality pieces of confectionary.

Bunya burgers

get

4 small to medium champignon mushrooms chopped small
75g medium grated macadamias
10 bunya "nuts" of the Bunya pine (Araucaria bidwillii)
1 Tbsp tahini
2 slices white bread
3 Tbsp wholemeal flour (spelt flour)
lemon thyme
4 tbsp cold-pressed organic olive oil

do

Remove the hard shell from the bunyas using a short sharp pointed knife. Carefully stab each bunya nut and the press down the knife blade to cut along one side. Remove the soft nut.
Steam the bunyas for 1 hour. Medium grate them.
Soak the bread in boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain and press out the water.
Mix the bread, bunyas, chopped mushrooms, herbs and the ground nuts in a large bowl. Add the tahini.

Click to enlarge the pink fresh colour

Stir well until a sticky mixture forms. Mix well. Knead.
Press the mixture down with a spoon so it is compressed.
Spread the flour on a large dinner plate.
Half fill a dessert bowl with water. Dip a tablespoon in the water and wet your clean hand with water.
Scoop out small amounts of the mixture with the tablespoon to make a spoon-shaped little burger. The water prevents the mixture sticking to the hand and spoon. It also moistens the outside of the burger.
Squeeze the burger onto the spoon, then push it off onto the floured plate. Repeat until all the burgers are made.

Araucaria Bidwillii

Turn the burgers so there is flour on both sides. Add more flour if necessary. Let the floured burgers stand on the plate for some time turning occasionally so they are well covered with flour.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan at a low to medium temperature.
Fry the burgers in it until golden. Add more olive oil if necessary.
Serve hot immediately or cold on a sandwich.

see also
Bunya Nut and Macadamia Burgers

Macadamia Tahitian lime sponge

get

7 large eggs
200g macadamias, medium grated
50g spelt flour
3 tsp baking powder
5 tbsp agave nectar

80g macadamias, finely grated
1 tbsp honey
1 Tahitian lime
1 tbsp agave nectar

Kaffir lime

do

For the sponge
Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Add flour and baking powder to the coarsely grated macadamia and mix.
Separate the eggs.
Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff. Add 2 tbsp agave nectar. Continue beating until very stiff.
Beat the egg yolks in a bowl until creamy. This takes a few minutes with a hand beater. Add 2 tbsp agave nectar. Continue beating until very creamy.
Gently lift the egg white mix under the egg yolk mix resulting in a light creamy foamy mixture. Lift the nut mixture gently under the egg mixture a little at a time.
Butter a 28cm baking form. Cover the bottom lightly with a sprinkle of flour.
Pour the mixture into the form and smooth the top.
Bake for about 25 minutes until golden on the second shelf from the bottom. Test using a knife or skewer which should come out clean. Turn the oven down to 150°C if necessary.

With cooling lychees

For the filling 
Medium grate the macadamias. Add 1 tbsp honey. Mix well.
Set aside  a little less than half of this macadamia-marzipan for decoration.
Add the juice of 1/2 lime to the rest. Mix into a spreadable paste.
Remove the cool cake from its form. Cut into 2 flat disks using a linen thread. Place the bottom sponge on a cake plate.
Mix the remaining lime juice with agave nectar. Dribble it evenly onto the bottom sponge.
Spread the paste evenly on top. Then place the top sponge on the filling.

Decoration
Roll out the remaining marzipan and use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes appropriate to the occasion, (e.g. hearts). Arrange them on the top of the finished cake.

Serve in thin slices. Store wrapped in a linen cloth in a cold place or under glass.

Macadamia confectionary

GET
300g organic raw macadamia nuts
1 meyer’s lemon
2 tbsp light clear honey.
all organic

DO
medium grate 300g macadamia nuts into a bowl.
Add finely grated rind of a Meyer lemon and the juice of half a lemon. Mix.
Add 2 tbsp clear honey (Mallee honey). Mix well.
Press and compact the mixture with a spoon. Knead it. Press down and leave it in a cool place for 2 hours.
Cut into small portions and serve.
Store wrapped in greaseproof paper.

Marzipan, varieties and origin
Marcipane or "The bread of Marcus" originated from Persia. It is based on almonds and made its way via the 13th century crusades to Europe. Since 1809 Königsberg marzipan is known for its flamed confectionary surface, which results in a golden-brown finish. It contains almonds, rose water and jam.

Frankfurt Bethmännchen cookies are made from marzipan with almond, powdered sugar, rosewater, flour and egg. Since 1393 they have been sold at the Frankfurt's Christmas market. After one and a half centuries of manufacturing, its form and recipe has never been changed.

In the land of macadamia it is obvious to adjust these old cultural traditions to a contemporary and geographic setting.

Image:
Lovis Corinth, Königsberger (Kaliningrad) Marzipantorte, (marzipan cake), 1924

See also
Finger lime macadamia confectionary

Baked Macadamiazan

get

organic macadamia nuts - any amount
lemon juice
light agave syrup
water

do
 
Preheat the oven to 150°c.
Grate the nuts coarsely into a bowl with a medium hand grater.
Add lemon juice, agave syrup to taste. Mix.
Stir in enough water to make a moist but solid mixture.
Knead and form into a dough.
Butter a baking tray.
Cut the nut mixture into cookie sized pieces and form into suitable shapes.
Place on the baking tray and bake for about 25 minutes until golden.
Remove from oven and cool
Cover and store in a tin.

Yellow-shouldered Hover Fly in macadamia flowers

This recipe depends on your taste as regards sweetening, and amount of lemon juice. If you like it very lemony, leave out the water and take a lot of lemon juice. If you like it very sweet, leave out the water and take more agave syrup. Vary the amount of nuts according to your needs.

Macadamia Lemon Sponge

It is fortunate that macadamias drop and lemons ripen at the same time. Freshly cracked white nuts and freshly picked lemons make a delicious combination in this nutty lemon sponge.

get

8 bantam eggs (or 5 large eggs)
200g macadamias, medium grated
50g spelt flour
4 tbsp agave nectar
3 Meyer lemons

50g macadamias
1 tbsp honey

1 orange

do

For the sponge
Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Grate the lemon rind into the grated macadamias. Add flour and mix.
Separate the eggs.
Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff. Add 2 tbsp agave nectar. Continue beating until very stiff.
Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl until creamy. This takes a few minutes with a hand beater. Add 2 tbsp agave nectar. Continue beating until very creamy.
Gently lift the egg yolk mix under the egg white mix resulting in a light creamy foamy mixture. Lift the nut mixture gently under the egg mixture a little at a time.
Butter a 28cm baking form. Cover the bottom lightly with a sprinkle of flour.
Pour the mixture into the form and smooth the top.
Bake for about 25 minutes until golden on the second shelf from the bottom. Test using a knife or skewer which should come out clean. Turn the oven down to 150°C if necessary.

For the filling
Medium grate the macadamias. Add the juice of 1 lemon. Add 1 tbsp honey. Mix well.
Remove the cool cake from its form. Cut into 2 flat disks using a string. Place the bottom disc on a cake plate. Juice the orange and pour the juice evenly over this. Distribute the filling evenly on top. Then place the top disc on the filling.
Serve in thin slices. Store wrapped in a linen cloth in a cold place.


Fancy extras
If you want to make this cake more fancy, make macadamia honey marzipan and roll it out thinly, larger than the cake. Place this on the cake and form it around the sides. Decorate with icing sugar mixed with lemon juice.
However the cake will then be much sweeter and it tastes perfect without this topping.

Macadamia Lemon Slices

get
300 g light wholemeal flour
2 tbsp agave nectar
1 egg
140 g butter

300 g macadamias
5 tbsp agave nectar
4 Meyer lemons

do
Add agave nectar then the egg in the middle of the flour in a large bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon into a paste and then into the flour. Add butter in flakes. Knead to a pastry. If it is sticky add more flour. If it is too dry, add more agave nectar. Cool for 15 minutes covered with a linen cloth (tea towel).

Medium grate the macadamia nuts with a hand grater.
Coarsely grate the lemon peel into the macadamia meal. Add the agave nectar. Add the juice of 3 lemons or as much as necessary to make a wet, sticky paste and mix well.
Preheat the oven to 190°c. Butter a baking tray. Roll out half of the pastry on a linen tea towel. Turn it over from time to time and use the tea towel to fold over and straighten the the edges. Roll out a thin pastry the size of your baking tray and place it on the tray using the tea towel. Adjust the edges. Spread the macadamia paste on the pastry, right to the edges. Roll out the other piece of pastry to the size of the baking tray. Use the tea towel to lift it onto the top so it fits exactly. Use the flat edge of a knife to press the macadamia paste inside the pastry, straightening and closing the edges as much as possible.

Bake for about 25 minutes on the second shelf from the bottom until light brown.
Cool in the turned-off oven with the door open.
When cool, or before serving, cut off edges for private use. Cut into slices about 2 x 6 cm for public presentation. Alternatively leave it as one piece and cut off slices as required when required.
This is a variation on an earlier lemon slices recipe using almonds, honey and icing.

Bunya Nut and Macadamia Burgers

get
20 bunya nuts
200g macadamia nuts
80 ml tahini
1 small onion
100g organic spelt flour
filtered water
4 tbsp olive oil

do
Steam the bunya nuts in their shells for 40 minutes.
Peel and chop the onion finely. Place in a large bowl.
Mix in the tahini with a wooden spoon.

Medium grate the macadamia nuts and add to the mixture. Mix.
Cut the hit bunya nuts in half with a serrated-edged knife. Removed the bunya flesh and press through a garlic press into the mixture. Mix after each couple of bunya mash is added. It is important to mix the bunya paste in while it is hot or it becomes too firm to mix in. Do a few bunyas at a time leaving the rest in the steamer to keep warm. When they have all been added, mix well. Add some more grated macadamias if necessary to lighten the mixture.
Cool.

Place flour on a large dinner plate. Put some water in a bowl. Put a large flat spoon in the water. Dip your clean hand into the water.
Scoop some of the mixture using the wet spoon and press it hard onto the palm of your wet hand to form a burger. (You can use 2 wet spoons if you don't like to use your hand). Place the firm burger on the flour and turn it. Leave it on the flour and turn occasionally so it becomes covered in flour. Repeat until you have enough burgers. Cover the rest of the mixture and store in the fridge.
Heat some olive oil in a frying pan. Fry the burgers at a low heat until lightly coloured.

These burgers will become quite crunchy if fried golden. If you prefer them that way, they also taste good golden.

Also recommended cold and on the next day.

I use the tahini from the bottom of the jar when it is too thick for other purposes.

More Bunya Burgers

Macadamia Pesto

Macadamia flowers

get

1 bunch basil 

2-3 cloves garlic

300g raw macadamia nuts

10 tbsp olive oil

all organic

do

Finely chop the basil with a large sharp knife and place in a large bowl.

Add the peeled and crushed garlic.

Grate the nuts with a medium grater. Mix under the other ingredients.

Stir in enough olive oil to make a smooth paste.

Flatten the surface of the pesto and dribble some oil on top.

Serve cool.

The pesto should have a light green colour. If it is dark green add more nuts. This will depend on the size of your bunch of basil. If it seems dry use more olive oil. If you like plenty of garlic, use more.

Serve with pasta or potatoes and a salad. It compliments noodles with tomato sauce very nicely.

 
Coriander pesto

Macadamia cookies

get (all organic)

100g fine macadamia nut flakes
100g butter
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon powder
200g light spelt flour

do

Preheat oven to 180°c.
Mix butter and maple syrup with a wooden spoon until smooth.
Mix in cinnamon.

Grate the nuts with a medium hand grater into thin flakes and mix in. (See grater type in image)
Mix in enough flour gradually so that the mixture is not sticky.

Roll out the pastry on a tea towel. Use a cookie cutter to form cookies. Place them on a buttered tray. Bake on the second shelf from the bottom for about 15 minutes depending on the thickness. Remove from the tray and cool. Store in a tin.
This recipe is similar to apricot macadamia cookies but with a fine, light texture attributable in part to the nut flakes and not at all chewy.