MERINGUE:

4 egg whites
1/4 c. plus 3 tbsp. sugar
Scant 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch

FILLING:

1 1/4 c. whipping cream
1/4 c. powdered sugar, sifted
1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
6 bananas

TOPPING:

4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 c. firmly packed soft brown sugar

Line a baking sheet with baking parchment or waxed paper. Grease waxed paper. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

To make meringue, beat egg whites in a medium bowl until stiff. Slowly add sugar, beating constantly. Sift powdered sugar and cornstarch onto egg white mixture; fold in. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain nozzle with meringue mixture, pipe 12 banana shapes onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 3-4 hours with oven door slightly open. Remove meringues from baking sheet; cool on a rack.

To make filling: Whip cream with powdered sugar until stiff; stir in cocoa powder. Put chocolate cream into a pastry bag fitted with a fluted nozzle; pipe onto cooled meringues. Peel bananas and cut in half lengthwise. Place a halved bananas on each cream-topped meringue.

To make topping: Melt chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. Pour chocolate over bananas, sprinkle with brown sugar before chocolate sets.