Tropical Banana Bites

   The burst of flavor when you bite into these is sure to please.Creamy banana,rich chocolate,along with macadamia nuts and cinnamon come together to make a luscious dessert.I have used phyllo dough in this recipe,and formed it into triangles,but after running through the recipe,I think it is easier for most home cooks to use puff pastry.Unless you have worked with phyllo before,and you have a high tolerance for frustration, puff pastry is the way to go.

1 package of puff pastry,thawed in the refigerator and cold
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
2 bananas,sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 c. finely chopped macadamia nuts
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. chocolate chips
1/4 c. coconut,toasted
2 tsp. sugar
  

Puff Pastry Method:

   Mix together the cinnamon,sugar and nutmeg.In another bowl,mix together the chocolate chips,nuts and coconut. Unfold the puff pastry and cut into 9 squares.Place 3-4 pieces of sliced banana in the center of each square.Sprinkle a  small amount of the cinnamon mixture on the bananas,then sprinkle about 1-2 tbsp. of the coconut mixture.Pull up the sides of the squares and form the dough into a round form.Place on a baking sheet,seam side down,brush with butter and bake at 400 degrees until golden and puffed,about 10-12 minutes.These can also be made into triangles ,just place the filling closer to one side of the pastry square,then brush a little butter around the edges and fold over to form a triangle.Push down on the edges to seal.
***To toast coconut,spread it out on a sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes,or until golden.