Meringue Torte - cooking recipe

Ingredients

6 egg whites
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. light rum (optional)
1 (8 oz.) carton Cool Whip
whole strawberries (fresh or frozen)
canned pineapple slices, drained

Preparation

Day before serving or early in the morning:
In large bowl of electric mixer, let egg whites warm to room temperature for 1 hour. Lightly butter bottom, not sides, of 9-inch tube pan.
Preheat oven to 450\u00b0.
To egg whites, add salt and cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks form when beaters are slowly raised.
Turn into tube pan; spread evenly.
Place on middle rack of oven. Immediately turn off heat.
Let set in oven several hours or overnight.
Loosen edges with spatula.
Turn out torte on serving plate and sprinkle surface with rum or pineapple juice. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours.