INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

In a dry heavy skillet cook 1 cup of the sugar over moderate heat
until it begins to melt and continue cooking it, stirring with a  fork,
until it is melted completely and is a golden caramel. Pour the
caramel into a 1 1/2-quart ring mold. Using potholders to hold the
mold tilt and rotate the mold to coat the bottom and let the caramel
cool.  Preheat the oven to 350F. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat
the  egg whites with the salt until they are foamy, add the cream of
tartar, and beat the whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat in
the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, and beat the  meringue
until it holds stiff glossy peaks. Spoon the meringue into  the ring
mold, rapping the mold sharply on a hard surface to expel  any air
bubbles, and smooth the top. (The meringue will fill the mold
completely.) Transfer the mold to a deep baking pan, add enough hot
water to the pan to reach 1 inch up the side of the mold, and bake  the
meringue in the middle of the oven for 1 hour. (The meringue will  rise
completely and will deflate as it cools.) Turn off the oven and  let
the meringue stand in the oven for 15 minutes. Transfer the mold  to a
rack and let it cool completely. The meringue may be made 1 day  in
advance and kept covered and chilled. Invert the meringue onto a  deep
serving plate, letting the melted caramel drip over the top and  down
the sides. Some of the caramel will remain, hardened, in the  bottom of
the mold. Put the mold in a skillet of simmering water and  heat the
caramel, stirring occasionally, until it has melted. Spoon  the Kahlua
custard sauce around the meringue, drizzle the meringue  decoratively
with the melted caramel, and crumble some of the sesame  pumpkin-seed
brittle over it. Serve the remaining custard sauce  separately.  To
make Kahlua custard sauce:  In a small heavy saucepan bring the
half-and-half just to a boil with  the vanilla bean and remove the pan
from the heat. In a bowl whisk  together the egg yolks and the sugar
until the mixture is combined  well and add the half-and-half mixture
in a slow stream, whisking.  Transfer the mixture to a heavy saucepan
and cook it over moderate  heat, stirring constantly with a wooden
spoon, until it thickens  slightly and registers 175F. on a candy
thermometer. (The sauce will  thicken as it cools.) Strain the custard
sauce through a fine sieve  into a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of
ice and cold water, let it  cool, stirring, and stir in the Kahlua.
Chill the sauce, covered, for  at least 2 hours, or until it is very
cold. The sauce may be made 2  days in advance and kept covered and
chilled. Makes about 2 cups.  To make sesame pumpkin-seed brittle:  In
a dry heavy skillet cook the sugar over moderate heat until it  begins
to melt and continue cooking it, stirring with a fork, until  it is
melted completely and is a golden caramel. Remove the skillet  from the
heat, stir in the pepitas and the sesame seeds, and, working  quickly,
pour the mixture onto a sheet of foil. Let the brittle cool  and break
it into small pieces. The brittle may be made 1 week in  advance and
kept in an airtight container. Makes about 1/2 pound.  Gourmet October
1993  Converted by MC_Buster.  Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

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