Candied Pineapple Macadamia Loaves

Prepare the Candied Pineapple the day before you make the loaves.

Candied Pineapple:
3 (20 ounce) cans pineapple chunks in
    heavy syrup, undrained
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter or margarine

In a 5-quart saucepan, heat the pineapple, sugar and corn syrup, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil gently, stirring occasionally in the beginning and then often as syrup thickens for 50 minutes. Add butter and continue cooking until pineapple is slightly caramelized and syrup is very thick, about 10 minutes. With slotted spoon, drain well and place in a single layer on a rack over a shallow baking pan (cake rack over a brownie pan). Bake at 225 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Cool for several hours (or overnight) on rack. There will be about five loosely packed cups of candied pineapple. There will be 2 to 3 cups of syrup. Refrigerate and use on pancakes or ice cream. Makes 3 loaves.

Candied Pineapple Macadamia Loaves:
5 cups Candied Pineapple
1 1/2 cups salted macadamia nuts, chopped
1 cup flaked coconut
2 cups flour (fork stir to aerate before measuring)
3/4 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Line three (7 x 3-inch) loaf pans with wax paper. Reserve 1 cup of pineapple. Coat remaining pineapple, macadamia nuts and coconut with 1/4 cup of flour.

Use electric mixer at low speed in a large bowl to cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating each 25 seconds. Add remaining flour alternately with milk mixture. With spoon, stir in pineapple-nut mixture. Divide evenly among pans and press reserved pineapple into tops. Bake at 300 degrees F for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Test for doneness with a wooden pick.

Cool in pans on rack for 15 minutes. Turn out and cool. Store in refrigerator or wrap well and freeze.