Learn How To Make Fantastic Chocolate Macadamia Nut Clusters at Domaine de Manion

The Macadamia Nut Workshop on Saturday, November 26, 2022 is filled. Thank you for your interest and welcome response to host a second Macadamia Nut Workshop. The date for the second Macadamia Nut Workshop is Tuesday, November 29, 2022. Please see below for details. Merci beaucoup!

At Domaine de Manion we proudly share we have 5 mature macadamia nut trees that are grand and still producing an abundance of nuts. Estimating by the year our original home was built, these macadamia nut trees are ninety plus years old. Each year we gather, dry, and store the nuts until we hand process them with a specific macadamia nut crusher. It is labor intensive, but worth macadamia gold. The macadamia nuts we use in the workshop are organically grown and processed on site.

Please join me for a two hour hands-on workshop at Domaine de Manion. I will share with you different macadamia nut dessert recipes, just in time for the holiday table and gift giving. Using the recipes we make together, I will demonstrate how to incorporate these goodies into a beautiful delicious Chocolate Charcuterie Dessert Board.

Macadamia Nut Workshop

Hosted at Domaine de Manion, Encinitas, California

Tuesday, November 29th, 2022 at 1pm to 3pm

$95.00 per person

Class Size is Limited to First 8 Guests

To Sign Up, And For Further Details

Please Contact Bonnie , bonnie@vintagegardengal.com, (tel) (760) 402-7600

I call this workshop “pop-up” because it is very spur of the moment and very spontaneous. The workshop is limited to the first 8 guests who contact me above and sign up. A minimum of 6 guests is necessary for the workshop to be held.

Macadamia Nut Gold

Merci….Bonnie

Learn How To Make Fantastic Chocolate Macadamia Nut Clusters at Domaine de Manion

At Domaine de Manion we proudly share we have 5 mature macadamia nut trees that are grand and still producing an abundance of nuts. Estimating by the year our original home was built, these macadamia nut trees are ninety plus years old. Each year we gather, dry, and store the nuts until we hand process them with a specific macadamia nut crusher. It is labor intensive, but worth macadamia gold. The macadamia nuts we use in the workshop are organically grown and processed on site.

Please join me for a two hour hands-on workshop at Domaine de Manion. I will share with you different macadamia nut dessert recipes, just in time for the holiday table and gift giving. Using the recipes we make together, I will demonstrate how to incorporate these goodies into a beautiful delicious Chocolate Charcuterie Dessert Board.

Macadamia Nut Workshop

Hosted at Domaine de Manion, Encinitas, California

Saturday, November 26th, 2022 at 1pm to 3pm

$95.00 per person

Class Size is Limited to First 8 Guests

To Sign Up, And For Further Details

Please Contact Bonnie , bonnie@vintagegardengal.com, (tel) (760) 402-7600

I call this workshop “pop-up” because it is very spur of the moment and very spontaneous. The workshop is limited to the first 8 guests who contact me above and sign up. A minimum of 6 guests is necessary for the workshop to be held. If there is a large enough response I will host a second Macadamia Nut Workshop. Merci beaucoup!

Macadamia Nut Gold

Bon Chocolat et Bon Weekend….Bonnie

Two of Our Mature Macadamia Trees

After 22 years we have a first, my husband John and I, have mined for macadamia gold on our property. We harvested, hulled, and processed a large amount of macadamia nuts from our own trees. It was no simple task, and the main reason we haven’t wholeheartedly done it with a vengeance before. It is a lot of work!

We have five mature macadamia trees, three on our north side, and two on our south side that have survived unknown decades and are still heavily producing. We have been happy to have these wonderful trees flanking our property lines for beauty and privacy, and let the wildlife have the nuts. Please note: macadamia nuts are toxic and poisonous to all breeds of dogs.

Last year I collected nine 5 gallon tubs full of macadamia nuts from the ground, and stored them in my garage to dry. Macadamia nuts are labor intensive to process. There is an outer husk, and an inner shell which is very hard to crack. Hand-cracking them is not an option for the amount we have. Finding a machine online, that works well runs about $1,000.00. Luckily we have friends who have one of these machines, and lent it to us. We wanted to try harvesting our nuts first before investing in a machine, like the Universal Nutcracker. You must wear ear and eye protection, and our masks came in handy for the dust. Not for the faint-hearted, nor glamorous, yet very rewarding.

A Slow Process Towards Gold

Macadamia nuts were run through the machine twice, and sometimes a third time to remove nut meat from the shells. This machine was able to process the nuts well, with some nuts coming out whole or in large pieces. This process took us about six hours, and netted about 20 pounds of gorgeous macadamia gold.

A whole macadamia nut reminds me of a giant white chocolate chip. It is the same shape and it has a tiny point at the top. Nature’s dollop of goodness!

First Time Through the Machine

Second Time Through the Machine

After thoroughly rinsing, sorting for any shells, the macadamia nuts were ready for a light roasting for 30 minutes at 275 degrees F.

Simply Golden After Roasting

I roasted the macadamia nuts in the oven the next day. I cooled them, and vacuum-sealed them in 4 cup bags. Slightly toasting them gives them a nice flavor. Completed bags were put in the freezer until needed, and keep nuts fresh until use because of their high fat content.

Macadamia nuts are high in good fat, monounsaturated fats, a type of fat that may boost heart health by lowering your total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They are also loaded with antioxidants.

I was very encouraged by the process. It takes patience, but very rewarding. I think this is something we will continue to due, and invest in a machine of our own.

Now I am thinking of the all of the recipes using macadamia nuts that I have saved over the years. Macadamia Crusted Halibut, Macadamia Nut Ice Cream, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, Macadamia Nut Toffee Tart, Chocolate Macadamia Clusters, and more!

Bon Appétit and Bon Weekend….Bonnie