Ingredients:
3/4 cup macadamia nuts
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium ripe pineapple ( 4 pound range)
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 1/2 lbs cream cheese, room temp
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup creme fraiche
6 large eggs
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts
Directions:
To make crust: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Butter a 10-inch springform pan and dust with granulated sugar-knock out excess.
In a shallow baking pan toast nuts in middle of oven until golden, around 6-7 minutes.
Be careful though, they can burn fast.
Finely chop nuts and transfer to a bowl.
Stir in a pinch of salt and all remaining ingredients except butter.
Mix well.
Melt butter and drizzle over crust mixture, tossing with a fork.
Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and press evenly onto bottom and 3/4 the way up the sides of pan.
Bake crust in middle of oven for 10 minutes.
Remove and cool on a wire rack.
Set aside.
Reduce oven to 325 degrees.
To make filling: Peel and core pineapple.
Cut pineapple into 1/4 inch dice and in a 3 quart saucepan cook with brown sugar over medium low heat, uncovered, for about 40 minutes.
You want it cooked down and almost dry-on the sticky side.
In a large bowl beat together the cream cheese and granulated sugar until fluffy.
Add creme fraiche and pineapple, beating until well combined.
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating at low speed after each addition until just combined.
Pour filling into crust, smoothing top and bake on a baking sheet in middle of oven until filling is set and top is lightly browned, around 80 minutes.
Transfer cake in pan to a wire rack and cool completely.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove cake from fridge, remove plastic wrap and run a knife around sides.
Remove side of pan and transfer cake to a serving platter.
In a baking pan toast coconut and 1/4 cup of chopped macadamia nuts, stirring occasionally until golden-around 8 minutes.
Cool.
In a bowl stir together sour cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla.
Spread sour cream mixture gently over top of cake.
Sprinkle toasted coconut-macadamia nut mixture over top of sour-cream mixture.
Servings: 16
Time preparation: 40 min.
Time total: 140 min.