Walnut Meringue Torte

I'm sure that my Mother never made this recipe, at least never made it after I was born.

3 egg whites
1/4 t cream of tartar
32 California walnut halves
2 c heavy cream
1 to 2 pt of slightly soft butter pecan ice cream

Day before:

1. On two pieces of wax paper draw a 9-inch circle; place each on a greased cookie sheet. Heat oven to 300°.

2. In a medium bowl, with mixer at high speed beat egg whites with cream of tartar until frothy. With mixer at low speed, beat in 1 c sugar, 2 T at a time. Beat at high speed until very stiff and glossy.

3. With half meringue mixture in decorating bag and pastry tube no. 5, make a ring around inner ring of one of the circles. Then top entire circle quickly with parallel lines of meringue in one direction, then three more, crisscrossing them.

Repeat step 3 on the remaining circle. Bake both meringue rings in the same oven for 30 minutes or until light brown, exchanging lower sheet for upper in 15 minutes. When done, peel wax paper from meringues at once on cake rack.

5. In small skillet, over medium heat, melt 2 c sugar until it forms a golden syrup. Drop walnuts a few at a time, into syrup, coating all sides. With fork, place 2 walnut halves together.

Next day, about 15 minutes before serving:

1. Whip cream until stiff. On large cake plate, spread a thin layer of cream in same circle as meringue. Place one of the rings on the whipped cream.

2. Now spoon ice cream evenly over meringue. Then top with second ring. With some remaining whipped cream, in decorating bag with pastry tube no. 5, fill each of the 16 holes in lattice pattern with a mound; top each with a glazed walnut.

3. With rest of whipped cream make rosettes around sides. Serves 12

Substitute raspberry sherbet for butter pecan ice cream, and fresh raspberries for glazed walnuts.