pecan-coconut macaroons.

Ingredients
Macaroons.
18oz coconut flakes (1 and 1/4 packages- around 3 cups)
2/3 cup pecan meal
4 egg whites at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour (or potato starch, if gluten-free)
2 tsp vanilla
A pinch of salt

Optional chocolate coating.
4 oz of your favorite dark and bittersweet chocolate
A thumb-tip's worth of butter/margarine/etc.
(rum, cinnamon, chili, or zests are excellent additions)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 325F.

For pecan meal, toast pecans until fragrant on stovetop or in a medium oven (350 F, for 5-10 minutes). When cooled, run them through a food processor, or smash them up yourself if you so desire.

For macaroons, beat egg whites until soft peaks form, then add vanilla, sugar, and flour. Whip until well mixed, then fold in coconut and pecan meal. Drop large spoonfuls onto a prepared baking sheet (buttered&floured, parchment, silpat) 1 inch apart, and bake until edges turn gold- 20-30 minutes. Transfer them to baking racks as soon as they emerge from the oven, and allow them to cool completely.

For chocolate, using a double boiler (or a make-shift double boiler- bowl placed over boiling water), melt chocolate with butter and optional flavoring ingredient (I opted for rum and cinnamon), stirring constantly. Remove from heat as soon as mixture is smooth.

Excellent paired with grilled pineapple or banana and caramel.