Banana Pudding

To make pudding, in a saucepan, whisk together soy milk, flour, sugar and salt. If using vanilla bean, split it lengthwise and scrape out seeds into soy milk mixture. Add vanilla bean as well. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat to low and simmer until mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Stir a small amount of the hot mixture into egg product, then return this mixture to the pan. Return pan to medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes more, or until custard thickens to a pudding-like consistency. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract and remove vanilla bean.

Cover the bottom of a 10-inch pie plate with a single layer of vanilla wafers. Cover with a layer of sliced bananas. Spoon half the pudding mixture on top, spreading it to the edges. Reserving 5 or 6 wafers to decorate the top, make a second layer of wafers, bananas and pudding.

To make meringue, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put a large saucepan of water on to boil. In a metal bowl that will sit securely on top of the saucepan, combine egg whites, sugar and salt. Set bowl over hot water. Stir constantly until egg whites become warm to the touch. Remove bowl from heat. Beat whites with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Spoon mounds of meringue onto the pudding, lifting the spoon to form peaks. Bake until golden, about 8 minutes. Garnish with the reserved vanilla wafers.

Yield: 10 servings