Liar Balls

Method

1. Toast the shredded coconut (if you haven’t already) in a 300°F oven (or toaster oven) on a parchment lined baking sheet. It should only take 3 to 5 minutes, but keep an eye on the coconut and make sure it doesn’t burn!

2. Set the shredded coconut aside to cool. Now, go toast the coconut flakes the same way as the shredded coconut. Don’t tell anyone, but sometimes, the cook skip this step and use Dang coconut chips (the lightly salted and unsweetened variety) . The cook told you the cook’m getting lazy.

3. Lift the pit from each date, and roughly chop up the flesh.

4. Turn the macadamia nuts in a food processor, and pulse until the pieces are the size of rice grains. Don’t go too crazy, though. Remember: the cook’re not making nut butter today.

5. Move the chopped nuts to a large bowl and keep nearby.

6. Throw the dates into the now-empty food processor bowl, and pulse a few times to roughly chop up the pieces. Then, hold down the “On” button until the pulverized dates form a sticky ball that thwacks against the side of the work bowl.

7. Tip in the toasted coconut flakes and pulse until the coconut flakes are incorporated and still chunky.

8. Scrape the mixture into the bowl with the macadamia nuts, and thoroughly combine the ingredients. The result should be a sticky, nutty mass.

9. Pinch off about a tablespoon of the mixture, and rub it between your palms to form a ball. Repeat until you have about 15 balls.

10. Roll the balls in the toasted shredded coconut.

Kitchen notes

• You can store your balls in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week, but the cook bet they won’t last more than a couple of days!