When life is a little rough, macadamia nuts and pineapple come to the rescues…

I had a rough week and I know my office gang was not having a lot of fun either. One of the most frustrating parts of the working for a corporation was the fact that many times my hands were tied. I couldn’t do much to make the change necessary to make working life better.  I work with a great group of people. I wish I could do something for them. My way of thanking the gang is to bake for them and they love to eat! 

When I got home from Yoga last night, I was still dwelling over all the issues at the office. I decided to make a cake, something simple, something from the Islands. How about some Macadamia nuts and pineapple? Can you smell the ocean? Hear the wave? See the rainbow? Okay, okay I am going a little overboard. 

This is a very simple Hawaiian poi cake recipe. Don’t worry there is no poi in the cake. Pineapple poi is the crushed pineapple, like poi!!!

If you don’t have mac-nut readily available, walnut is a great substitute for this.

Hawaiian macadamia nut pineapple poi cake with honey cream cheese frosting

Cake:

2 cups sugar

1 can 20oz-crushed pineapple in natural juice

2 eggs

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 cup chopped macadamia nut or walnut

Honey cream cheese frosting:

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened

¼ cup butter, softened

1/3 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Heat oven to 350, if you are using a non-stick (dark pan). Lower temperature to 325.

Spray a 9x13 oblong pan with baking spread, or grease and flour.

In a large bowl. Mix sugar with a whole can of crush pineapple, juice and all.

Add 2 eggs, combine.

Fold in flour and baking soda.

Finally fold in the nuts.

Pour the batter in the prepared pan.

Bake for 45-55 mins till the toothpick came out clean when inserted in the middle of the cake.

Cook for 5 -10 mins. You can leave a cake in the pan and cool completely. 

Or invert the cake onto a cooling rake. Let the cake cool completely.

As with the frosting

Combine cream cheese, butter and honey in a medium bowl.

Add 1 tsp vanilla

Beat at med high speed till fluffy and light.

To frost the cake:

If you leave the cake in the pan, simply frost the cake!

I re-inverted the cake onto a serving platter (right side up).

Drop frosting over the cake,

Happy frosting!

 Store in the fridge. 12 big serving, 16 little one!

Enjoy!

Aloha

Plum and Ginger with some cream, a birthday wish for Kawailani

I am getting the feeling that I am buried in plum. Mr. Wonderful picked more plums for me this week. It is the end of the season; he didn’t want to waste those precious little fruits that he cared for with TLC.

I made some Chinese Plum sauce for my sister and will make more plum jam tomorrow. I used the jam I made last week in my usual “mango” bars and the office was thrilled with that. They actually liked the sweet tart plum filling better than the classic mango! What a nice surprise!! I think I will have to make simple breakfast pastry for the gang next week. A hard week ahead, food is the best bribery!

My sis’s birthday is next week. I am getting a care package together for her. She is back on the mainland now; I still continue to send her and her hubby a package each month. This is becoming a habit of mine. When she was back in June, she brought me a can of crystallized ginger bits. She loves ginger. I found it in the cupboard today.

She posted the ice cream she made by hand last week on Facebook. She inspired me to try making some ice cream with the plum and ginger. If she would be around, I know she would go crazy over this.

Hau’oli la hanau e Kawailani, ha’o wau ia ‘oe.

Plum and Ginger Ice Cream

1 lb plum, cut in half, stone removed

1 cup heavy cream

1/4-1/3 cup good quality honey

2 table crystallized ginger bits

Directions

Wrap a small roasting pan with tin foil. Place plum halves with cut side up.

Heat oven to 500. Roast the plum for about 10 mins till softened

Remove from oven; let the plum cool for about 10 mins.

Prepare blender, place plum and any juice in the blender.

Add cream

Blend a mixture till smooth

Place a fine strainer over a large bowl. Pour the plum and cream mixture to remove the bits of peels. 

Keep pressing the bits to remove the last of the good flavor. Scrap the bottom of the strainer to make sure you get all the “good stuff”

Return the strained mixture to the blender. Add honey, please make sure you taste the mix. You may need more honey if the plum is a bit tart. I am using a “Home-made” honey from my dear friends Matt and Joe. It is very sweet and it was almost like maple syrup. I didn’t have to use a lot.

Add 1 Tbsp of crystalized ginger bits

Blend the mixture for a few second.

Pour the ice cream mixture in a bowl, add the reminding 1 Tbsp of ginger bit.

If you are using an ice cream maker, following the instruction. If you are not, (like me). Here is how I make ice cream “by hand”:

Cover and place in the freezer for at least an hour.

Check the ice cream after an hour. Stir lightly with a fork to bring down the ice crystal. (Why I do this, mainly is to bring down the ice crystal, the smaller the ice crystal, and the smoother the ice cream)

Return to the freezer for another hour.

You should see a thick texture by now; use a whisk to break up the mixture. 

Whisk the ice cream till you have smooth texture. 

Return the ice cream to the freezer over night or till frozen.

To serve: scoop ice cream in a bowl, Top with plum and a couple pieces of ginger. Garnish with a little mint for color

If you are using a ice cream making, you can easily double the recipe.

Serve 1-4 depends on how much you love ice cream!

Enjoy

Aloha