4 egg whites (1/2 to 2/3 c.), at room temperature
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
3 c. homemade applesauce (recipe follows)
2/3 c. homemade caramel sauce (recipe follows)

Beat the egg whites at a slow speed until they begin to foam, then add the cream of tartar and beat at fast speed until they form shiny stiff peaks.

Lower the speed of the beating to moderate and add the applesauce 1/2 cup at a times. Continue beating at high speed for a minute or so, until the mixture is stiff enough to hold its shape softly in a spoon.

HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE:

3 1/2 to 4 lbs. Granny Smith or your favorite apples
1 med. lemon
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Quarter the apples, core out the seeds, but do not peel. Place in saucepan along with the zest and juice of the lemon and the cinnamon. Cover the pan and set over moderately low heat, stirring and mashing the apples frequently until they are tender. This will take about 30 minutes. Puree the apples through a ricer or vegetable mill, return to saucepan, stir in sugar and bring to a slow boil until puree is quite thick. Stir in vanilla and chill.

CARAMEL SAUCE:

1 c. sugar
1/3 c. water

It is best to use a heavy 6 cup saucepan with tight fitting cover. Keep a large pan of cold water at your side.

Blend the sugar and water in the saucepan and bring to the simmer. Remove from heat and swirl the pan by its handle to be sure that the sugar has dissolved completely and that the liquid is perfectly clear.

Cover the pan tightly and boil the syrup for several minutes over moderately high heat, keep peeking, after a minute or so, and boil until the bubbles are thick. Do not stir after the syrup starts boiling. Uncover the pan and continue boiling, swirling the pan slowly by its handle. In a number of seconds the syrup will begin to color. Continue boiling and swirling a few seconds more, until it is a light caramel brown, then remove from heat and continue swirling, it will darken more. Set the bottom of the pan in the cold water to cool it and stop the cooking.

Note: It is key to the success of this process that you not allow sugar crystals to form on the sides of the pan during cooking. If the pan's lid fits tightly, it will not allow the steam to escape; instead the steam will wash any sugar that might be about to crystalize back down into the boiling liquid.