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By Request

By Betty Shimabukuro

Wednesday, August 30, 2000

By Dean Sensui, Star-Bulletin
Photos of Jack Lord, right, and James MacArthur, stars of
"Hawaii Five-O," flank a piece of cake inspired by the
television series in which the two starred.

---

Kind souls share
Hawaiian classics

BACK in the days before Hawaii Regional Cuisine, there were three Hawaiian flavors: pineapple, coconut and macadamia nut. That's it. Pau.

"Hawaiian" dishes from 15 or more years ago tended to dance around those tastes. That's not necessarily bad. Some of these classics are firmly seated in the nostalgia part of our taste buds.

Vera Savin, for example, is desperately searching for an old recipe called the "Hawaii Five-O" Torte, named for the TV show. "My mother gave me a clipping from the Star-Bulletin many, many years ago because it was one of her favorite recipes."

It became one of Savin's favorites, too. "I could not have enough on hand, especially when we had company!"

Also seeking an old recipe is Edward Lee, who wants to find a fruitcake made with pineapple and mac nuts for a friend. "She has been trying to get the recipe for several years."

Both those requests were printed here, and both yielded results, thanks to two long-time recipe clippers.

Cherylene Hidano found the "Five-O" torte among recipes she'd cut from the newspaper years ago and never tried. Nita Johnson found what seemed like a suitable fruitcake in an old cookbook.

They are both heroes, but Hidano in particular, as she has saved me a great deal of time and eye strain trying to find that old recipe on microfilm. Now both of us have tested the recipe and it turned out pretty darned good.

The original torte called for pecans in the crust, but I'd use mac nuts, because what the heck, we're in a Hawaiiana mode. Also, do not be alarmed at the 500-degree baking temperature for the final step of browning the meringue. You turn off the oven before putting in the torte and nothing burns. The original recipe called for leaving it in the oven for a nonspecific "several hours"; I found that 30 minutes yields good results.

"Hawaii Five-O" Torte

Crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped pecans or macadamia nuts
1/3 cup flaked coconut

Filling:
1 1-pound, 4-ounce can unsweetened crushed pineapple
1/2 cup water, divided use
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 2.9-ounce package lemon pudding and pie filling mix
1/2 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 cup sour cream

Meringue:
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1-1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

To make crust: Cut flour into butter, then add nuts and coconut; blend to crumb consistency. Press into an 8-inch square pan and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove pan and cool. Turn oven heat up to 500.

To make filling: Drain juice from pineapple and set fruit aside. Add water to juice to make 2 cups. Soften gelatin in 1/4 cup of water.

Combine lemon pie filling, remaining 1/4 cup water, sugar and egg yolks in a medium saucepan. Mix until smooth. Add pineapple juice mixture and combine well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 2 minutes, until smooth and thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in softened gelatin. Fold in drained pineapple. Cool 10 minutes.

Fold sour cream into pudding mixture and turn into cooled crust.

To make meringue: Beat egg whites with cream of tartar. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until very stiff.

Cover torte with meringue. Place in 500-degree oven and turn heat off. Leave in oven for about 30 minutes, or until the meringue is nicely browned.

Remove torte and sift powdered sugar over the top. Chill well, until filling is set.

Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Holiday Cake

"Delight in My Kitchen," Christian Women's Club of Wahiawa

1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup candied pineapple
1/2 cup candied cherries
1 cup fruit cake mixed fruits, diced
1 cup seedless raisins
3 cups flour, divided use
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sherry

Combine nuts and dried fruits. Dredge well in 1 cup of flour.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine corn syrup, orange juice and sherry; add to creamed mixture alternately with remaining 2 cups of flour.

Fold in nuts and fruits. Pour into two well-greased tube pans.

Bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour, 15 minutes. Trim tops with more candied cherries and whole nuts. Glaze by brushing lightly with hot corn syrup.

Nutritional information unavailable.

Can you help? While we're on the subject of dessert, Carino Fajardo is looking for a recipe for the Filipino dessert Peche Peche, made with cassava, coconut milk and sugar. If you have a proven recipe, get in touch in one of the ways listed below. Be a hero, like our bakers above.

Food Stuffs: Morsels

Send queries along with name and phone number to:
By Request, Honolulu Star-Bulletin Food Section,
P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
Or send e-mail to bshimabukuro@starbulletin.com

Asterisk (*) after nutritional analyses in the Body & Soul section indicates calculations by Joannie Dobbs of Exploring New Concepts, a nutritional consulting firm.