Macadamia Nut Ice Cream & Brittle
Recipe provided by Chef Carol Wallack, featuring Kuleana Hawaii Grown Macadamia Oil
Ice Cream Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup. Kuleana Hawaii Grown Macadamia Nut Oil
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
Heat the milk, cream, 1/4 cup of the sugar, salt, and the honey in a saucepan. In a separate bowl, combine egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Once the milk mixture is hot, ladle a small amount into the egg mixture and whisk it in to incorporate so the eggs don’t cook. Add some more to continue to temper the eggs. Then return the egg mixture to the saucepan with the rest of the cream mixture and turn the flame down to low. Continue to stir until it gets thicker and coats the back of a spoon.
Remove from heat and add the macadamia nut oil and the vanilla. Strain and cool overnight in the refrigerator.
Make the brittle and set aside to cool (see recipe next page). Once cooled, chop it up into small bite-sized pieces to be added to the ice cream.
Place a bowl in the refrigerator to be used for folding in the brittle.
Give the base mix a good stir, as the oil may have separated a little bit. Spin the ice cream according to the manufacturer's instructions. It should take 20-25 minutes. The ice cream will be thickened and moving from the sides of the bowl.
Put chopped brittle into the chilled bowl. Add the ice cream as it’s finished in the ice cream maker and fold in the brittle.
Put into a freezer-safe container to freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.
Macadamia Nut Brittle Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup roasted macadamia nuts
1 tbsp butter, at room temperature
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
Line a half sheet pan with a Silpat (nonstick silicone baking mat).
In a 3-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, dissolve sugar, water, and corn syrup. Stir in macadamias with a wooden spoon and stir over heat until a light caramel forms, approximately 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, put butter, salt, vanilla and baking soda in a bowl. When the syrup reaches the light caramel stage, pour the contents of the bowl into the pot. Remove from the heat and stir. The baking soda will darken the caramel. Spread the caramel on a Silpat. Let it harden and cool. Once it does, cut into chunks for the ice cream.
Set aside to enjoy later.
Why Macadamia Nut Oil work here:
Most ice cream recipes rely on heavy cream and egg yolks alone to build richness — but the addition of Kuleana Hawaiʻi Grown Macadamia Nut Oil does something those dairy fats can't on their own. Because macadamia nut oil is high in monounsaturated fats and naturally low in saturated fat, it stays fluid even at cold temperatures — which means it contributes to an exceptionally smooth, scoopable texture that doesn't turn rock-hard in the freezer. Beyond texture, the oil brings a subtle, toasty nuttiness that deepens the macadamia flavor throughout every bite without heaviness or grease. Added to the custard base off the heat, after the cream and eggs have thickened, it emulsifies beautifully into the mix — no separation, no fuss. The result is an ice cream that tastes unmistakably Hawaiian, made richer and silkier by an oil grown and expeller-pressed right here in Hawaiʻi.
About Chef Carol Wallack
Chef Carol Wallack is a private chef with deep ties to Maui, where she has long called Wailea home. Known for her approachable yet refined style, Wallack brings a love of local ingredients and seasonal cooking to everything she creates. She was an early champion of Kuleana Hawaiʻi Grown Oils — her Macadamia Nut Ice Cream & Brittle recipe is a beautiful example of what happens when a skilled chef lets a single exceptional ingredient lead the way.
