White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

1 1/4 cups of plain flour (sieved)
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of butter softened
1/4 cup caster sugar or organic sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla bean extract
3/4 cup of white chocolate (haighs is fabulous)
1 cup macadamia nuts chopped

Preheat oven to approx 170 degrees celcius fan forced.  Grease two baking trays with melted butter.

In a large bowl place butter and the sugars and beat with electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Beat in egg and vanilla then reduce the speed to slow and add a little flour.  Blend the rest of the flour in with a wooden spoon.  Then stir in the white chocolate chips with the macadamias.

Drop rounded tablespoons onto the trays 2 inch apart.  Baking should take between 10 and 12 minutes and try to rotate the tray levels at half time. Move one up and one down.

Cool on wire racks completely before storing in containers.

Eclairs amore

Preparation Time: 40 minutes then 1 hour to set ganache

Set ingredients out on table as below first:

approx 4 or 5 eggs ( now crack eggs into a weigh machine until the volume of liquid equals 1 cup or 200 g approx)
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 cup of butter (lurpak or equiv)
1 teaspoon of salt
1 1/4 teaspoon of fine sugar
140g all purpose flour

Preparing the Choux Pastry:

After cracking your eggs keep them in the bowl and place a warm bowl of water underneath to keep them warm while you prepare the following.

In a large mixing bowl place water, milk, salt, sugar and butter.  Bring to boil. As soon as boiling starts remove from heat and mix in the flour.

Move back to the heat and stir over heat for one minute stirring with wooden spatula until liquid evaporates out. Incorporate 2 eggs into the soft dough( from the egg mix warming bowl).  Add 2 more of the eggs and stir briskly again.  Add last egg and stop stirring as soon as blended thoroughly.   Use the pastry immediately or it cracks.

Pipe out shapes on greased baking paper trays.  Bake in oven for around 25 to 35 minutes on 170 degrees celsius. Check on them after 15 minutes to see they are browning. Some ovens may vary in time.

Once cooked the cases should be let cool on wire rack when baked. Then move to an airtight container.

Chocolate Ganache for the centres:

100g dark koko black or equivalent chocolate (54  - 60% dark cocoa range)
3/4 cup of whipping cream
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in small cubes

Chop the chocolate finely and set aside in a bowl.  In a saucepan bring the cream to the boil.  Pour the cream over the chocolate and leave chocolate to melt without stirring for around 3 minutes.

 Then with a whisk begin to stir gently.  As the ganache thickens stir outwards to get a smooth texture.  Add the cubes of butter slowly until ganache is silky and smooth.

This then needs to be cooled to thicken. The best way to do it is to transfer to small bowl and tightly cover the bowl so skin doesn't form on the top.  Chill in the fridge until it becomes thick but not firm.  This can take around 1 - 2 hours.

Prepare the eclairs by placing some ganache on top of one flat side and sandwiching another on top.

For these eclairs i have used ganache on the top instead of icing.

Chill in fridge and enjoy when ready.

Remember that a quality chocolate like Koko Black or Haighs will make a huge difference with the taste of your eclair.