Macadamia Dark Chocolate Truffles

This delicious Macadamia Dark Chocolate Truffles recipe was kindly shared by Pam Vagnieres.
Check out her site Nutri-Physique for more tasty recipes!

History of Macadamia Nuts

The first commercial orchard of macadamia trees was planted in the early 1880s by Rous Mill, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) southeast of Lismore, New South Wales, consisting of M. tetraphylla. Besides the development of a small boutique industry in Australia during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, macadamia was extensively planted as a commercial crop in Hawaii from the 1920s. Macadamia seeds were first imported into Hawaii in 1882 by William H. Purvis. The young manager of the Pacific Sugar Mill atKukuihaele on the Big Island, planted seeds that year at Kapulena.

The Hawaiian-produced macadamia established the well-known seed internationally. However, in 2006, macadamia production began to fall in Hawaii, due to lower prices from an over-supply.

Outside of Hawaii and Australia (35.200 metric tons -2013), macadamia is also commercially produced in South Africa (37.000 metric tons – 2013), Brazil, California, Costa Rica, Israel, Kenya, Bolivia, New Zealand, Colombia, Guatemala and Malawi. Australia is no longer the world’s largest commercial producer – the total world production for the 2013 year amounted to approximately 135,000 tonnes of nut in shell per year produced globally. To date, efforts to grow the macadamia commercially in Florida have not met with success, primarily as a result of low yield. However, the macadamia is a popular dooryard tree in Florida and efforts to select cultivars with better productivity are ongoing (source).

Macadamia Dark Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients

• Main Ingredients
• 1.5 cups raw, unsalted macadamia nuts
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 3 TBSP Nova Monda Gold Label Dark Jar Chocolate PLUS
• 1 TBSP organic whole fat heavy whipping cream
• Flavor Options
• 1/2 tsp orange zest
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cardamon
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 TBSP raspberry jam
• 2 TBSP finely chopped dark chocolate (use food processor to chop fine)
• 1 TBSP melted chocolate
• 1/8 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/8 cup finely shredded dried coconut

Instructions

1. Blend the macadamia nuts and salt in a food processor until the nuts are creamy and are the consistency of dough. Add in “Flavor Option*” of your choice, or leave it plain macadamia.
2. Using a small cookie scoop (to speed up this step) or your hands, form the macadamia dough into balls. If using your hands to form balls, it will help to chill the dough first. Place the balls on a cookie sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. Freeze macadamia balls for 30 or more minutes until set.
3. Melt chocolate and cream in microwave, 30 seconds or until melted. Stir until creamy and smooth. If using Lily’s chocolate chips, eliminate the cream.
4. Pierce each with a toothpick from the flat bottom of the Truffle and dip chilled balls into melted chocolate to coat the rounded top and sides. I don’t coat the flat bottom of the ball. Place back on lined cookie sheet, flat side down and refrigerate until set. Store truffles you will eat soon in the refrigerator. Keep truffles in the freezer for longer storage.

Recipe Notes

*These Truffles have the delicate flavor of chocolate and macadamia. You may leave them as is, or add a flavor option of your choice below.

http://www.jillcarnahan.com/recipe/macadamia-dark-chocolate-truffles/