Tropical-Fruit Salad with Coconut Crunch

 

1 large egg white

2 T. clover or orange-blossom honey

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla paste or extract

1 tsp. grated Meyer-lemon zest, plus 2 T. fresh juice

1 T. poppy seeds

Pinch of kosher salt

2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1 quart strawberries, halved lengthwise if large

2 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and cut lengthwise into 1-inch-thick fingers

1 small papaya, peeled, halved, seeded, and cut lengthwise into 1-inch-thick fingers

1 small pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch-thick fingers

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk egg white with honey, vanilla, lemon zest and juice, poppy seeds, and salt until foamy and thoroughly combined. Stir in coconut to evenly coat; spread on a rimmed baking sheet in a thin layer. Bake, stirring a few times, until golden in places, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely (mixture will crisp as it cools). Rub between your fingers, breaking up any clumps, until crumbled. Arrange fruits on a platter; sprinkle with coconut crunch to serve. Fruits can be loosely covered with plastic, without coconut crunch, and refrigerated up to 8 hours. Coconut crunch can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.