Heat oven to 350 degrees
Sift and re-sift:
1 cup cake flour
1/2 cup sugar, finely ground
Combine and beat until stiff but not dry
1 1/2 cups egg white
2 1/2 Tablespoons cold water
1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Then add:
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp salt
Beat until stiff, but not dry, the egg whites, water, and cream of tartar. Add the vanilla, almond extract, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Then fold in, 2 Tablespoons at a time
1 cup finely ground sugar
Fold in the dry ingredients.
Bake in a tube pan for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Top should be dry.
COOL UPSIDE DOWN for an hour or two until it is absolutely cold, otherwise you will have a mess.
And here is the
Carmel Icing
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup cream or 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup milk
 
Boil
 
Cover and cook 3 minutes or until the steam has washed down the crystals on the sides. Uncover and cook until 238-240 degrees, form ball. Then take off heat.
Add 3 Tablespoons butter. Cool.
Then add 1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat the icing until it is thick and heavy, but do not let it cool completely. Spread it when warm. It hardens up when cold.