Place apple sauce in pudding dish. Beat egg yolks lightly and combine in saucepan with milk, crumbled fig cookies, tapioca, salt and first measure of sugar. Place over medium heat and stir until milk comes to a boil. Remove from fire at once. Add first measure of vanilla and pour gently over apple sauce. Whip egg whites until stiff. Slowly add sugar and vanilla. Place the meringue on top of pudding as fluffy kisses. Bake in moderate oven (350 F.) until just lightly brown. Remove from stove and place away from draft to keep meringue from "weeping". Top with bits of figs and red jelly. Serves 6-8.

Reprinted with the permission of The California Fig Advisory Board Electronic format courtesy of Karen Mintzias