6 servings

Sauce :

2        vanilla beans, split lengthwise
2        cups nondairy creamer
6        large egg yolks
½      cup sugar

Meringue :

2         cups nondairy creamer
4         large egg whites
Pinch of salt
¼       cup sugar

Caramel :

½        cup sugar
¼        cup water

For Sauce :

Scrape seeds from vanilla bean halves into heavy small saucepan, add beans.  Add creamer and bring to simmer over medium-high heat.  Remove from heat, cover, and steep 10 minutes.
Whisk yolks and sugar in heavy medium saucepan until thick, about 2 minutes.  Gradually whisk in warm creamer mixture (including vanilla beans).  Stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 9 minutes (do not boil).  Strain custard into small bowl.  Cover and chill until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

For Meringue :

Lay smooth kitchen towel on work surface.  Pour creamer into medium (10-inch) skilled.  Bring milk to simmer over medium heat.
Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy.  Add salt and beat until whites hold soft peaks.  Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until whites are stiff and glossy.  Scoop some meringue (about twice the size of an egg) onto large oval spoon.  Using another large spoon and gently transferring meringue from spoon to spoon, shape meringue into smooth oval, drop oval into creamer.  Quickly shape 2 or 3 more meringue, dropping each into creamer.  Simmer meringues 1 minute.  Using heatproof rubber spatula, turn meringues over in creamer.  Simmer 1 minute longer (meringues will puff up while poaching).  Using slotted spoon, transfer meringues to towel (meringues will deflate slightly as they cool).  Repeat process, shaping and then poaching enough meringues to make total of 12.  transfer meringues to waxed-paper-lined baking sheet.  Refrigerate at lest 1 hours and up to 3 hours.

For Caramel :

Stir sugar and ¼ cup water in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves.  Increase heat and bring to boil, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush to dissolve any sugar crystals.  Boil until syrup is pale golden color, occasionally swirling pan, about 5 minutes.  Remove pan from heat.  Let the syrup cool until thick enough to fall from tines of fork in ribbons, about 8 minutes.  (If caramel becomes too thick, re-warm slightly over low heat, stirring constantly).

Spoon some sauce into center of each plate.  Arrange 2 meringues on each.  Dip fork into caramel and wave back and forth over meringues so that caramel comes off in strands that harden like threads, and serve.

2   cups bittersweet chocolate chips
2   tablespoons oil
Assorted toppings for coating banana (such as toffee bits, chopped salted pecans, or toasted shredded sweetened coconut)
3   ripe bananas, peeled, cut into ½-inch-thick slices

Stir chocolate and oil in heavy small saucepan over low heat just until smooth.  Let stand 15 minutes to cool.
Place each topping separate shallow dish.  Line baking sheet of foil.  Arrange banana slices on foil.  Using fingers, dip 1 banana slice in chocolate coating completely, shake off excess chocolate.  Drop dipped banana in 1 topping using clean hand,  sprinkle more topping over banana to coat, transfer to foil-lined sheet.  Repeat with remaining bananas, chocolate and toppings.  Freeze until firm, about 3 hours, then serve.

Make about 25
12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
¼ cup margarine
²/3 cup roasted salted macadamia nuts
²/3 cup slivered almonds
½ cup matzah cake meal
¼ teaspoon baking powder
3 large eggs
½ cup sugar
powdered sugar

Stir chocolate and margarine in medium bowl, set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth, cool 10 minutes.  Using on/off turn, blend macadamias and almonds with matzah cake meal in processor until nuts are finely ground.  Add baking powder and pulse to blend.  Whisk eggs and ½ cup sugar in large bowl to blend.  Stir chocolate mixture into egg mixture.  Add nut-flour mixture, stir just to blend.  Chill dough until firm enough to scoop.  About 4 hours.

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.  Roll dough by rounded tablespoonfuls between palms to form balls.  Divide between prepared sheets.  Chill until firm, about 1 hour. Can be made 1 day ahead.  Cover and keep chilled.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll dough balls in powdered sugar to coat thickly, return to prepared sheets.  Bake until cookies puff and form cracks and tester inserted into center form cracks and tester inserted into center of cookies comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 18 minutes.

Cool cookies completely on sheets on racks and store in airtight container.

2 pints fresh strawberries
1    ripe banana
1    cup sugar
1    cup oil
4    teaspoon lemon juice
2    heaping teaspoons marshmallow fluff

Blend together all ingredients in a blender or a food processor until smooth.  Freeze and serve.

Yield : 8 servings