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1
Scrape seeds from vanilla bean halves into heavy small saucepan; add beans.
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2
Add milk and bring to simmer over medium-high heat.
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3
Remove from heat, cover, and steep 10 minutes.
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4
Whisk yolks and sugar in heavy medium saucepan until thick, about 2 minutes.
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5
Gradually whisk in warm milk mixture (including vanilla beans).
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6
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).
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7
Strain custard into small bowl.
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8
Cover and chill until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.
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9
Lay smooth kitchen towel on work surface.
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10
Pour milk into medium (10-inch) skillet.
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11
Bring milk to simmer over medium heat.
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12
Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy.
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13
Add salt and beat until whites hold soft peaks.
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14
Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until whites are stiff and glossy.
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15
Scoop some meringue (about twice the size of an egg) onto large oval spoon.
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16
Using another large spoon and gently transferring meringue from spoon to spoon, shape meringue into smooth oval.
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17
Drop oval into milk.
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18
Quickly shape 2 or 3 more meringues, dropping each into milk.
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19
Simmer meringues 1 minute.
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20
Using heatproof rubber spatula, turn meringues over in milk.
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21
Simmer 1 minute longer (meringues will puff up while poaching).
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22
Using slotted spoon, transfer meringues to towel (meringues will deflate slightly as they cool).
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23
Repeat process, shaping and then poaching enough meringues to make total of 12.
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24
Transfer meringues to waxed-paper-lined baking sheet.
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25
Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.
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26
Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
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27
Increase heat and bring to boil, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush to dissolve any sugar crystals.
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28
Boil until syrup is pale golden color, occasionally swirling pan, about 6 minutes.
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29
Remove pan from heat.
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30
Let syrup cool until thick enough to fall from tines of fork in ribbons, about 8 minutes.
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31
(If caramel becomes too thick, rewarm slightly over low heat, stirring constantly.)
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32
Spoon some sauce into center of each plate.
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33
Arrange 2 meringues on each.
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34
Dip fork into caramel and wave back and forth over meringues so that caramel comes off in strands that harden like threads, and serve.
