Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Muffins

Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Muffins

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tblsp vanilla extract
1 cup half and half
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup plus 2 tblsp cake flour
1 tblsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup macadamia nuts, chopped and toasted
3/4 cup white choc chips

Preheat oven to 350 Greas a 12 cup muffin tin or line with paper cups.  In a medium bowl, cream butter until fluffy.  Slowly add sugar, continuting to beat.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.  Add vanilla and half and half.  BEat until evenly blended

In a large bowl sift both flours, baking powder, and salt.  Add white choc chip and nuts; mix well.  Gently fold into half and half mixture; mix just until flour disappears  Fill muffin cups with batter until 3/4 full.  Bake 30 to 35 min or until slightly golden on the edges and a toothpick inserted into the middle of muffin comes out clean

Cake flour:  No need to run out and purchase cake flour, make your own using all purpose flour and cornstarch.  To make your own, replace 2 tblsp of all purpose flour with 2 tblsp of cornstarch.  For thsi recipe:  since you want 1/2 cup plus 2 tblsp cake flour, measure 1/2 cup all purpose flour and 2 tblsp cornstarch into sifter. Sift these together and proceed with recipe.
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Toasted nuts:  Toasting nuts is a step some cooks skip, which is unfortunate this simple effort can really bump a recipe from okay to gourmet!  toasting nuts deepens their flavor and gives them crunchy texture.  It is important to check the nuts and stir them often while toasting  You'll notice that nuts on the edges of pan start to brown sooner than the nuts in the middle and because most ovens have not spots, it's necessary to move the nuts around for even roasting.
Preheat oven to 350  spread nuts in an even layer on baking sheet.  You can use  cake tin for smaller amounts as the higher sides allow you to shake the pan.  Toast in oven for approx 3 min or until nuts start to turn golden.  Remove during toasting and move the nuts around.  They'll have an nutty aroma and you might hear some crackling.  Return to oven if needed and check again after 3 min.  When they reach desire color, remove and cool on another try or plate.  If recipe calls for chopped nuts, chop after you roast them.