Nesselrode Pie

3 egg whites
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup coarsely chopped blanched almonds, toasted
1/3 cup maraschino cherries, cut into fourths
2 tablespoons maraschino cherry syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, whipped
1 recipe Vanilla Wafer Crust

Beat the egg whites until foamy, add the granulated sugar gradually and beat until stiff. Fold in the almonds cherries, cherry syrup and vanilla extract. Fold confectioners' sugar into whipped cream; fold into the first mixture. Pour into Vanilla Wafer Crust and freeze firm. Garnish top with cherry poinsettias and gumdrop holly leaves.

Vanilla Wafer Crust
1 1/4 cups fine vanilla wafer crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter

Combine crumbs and butter. Press into buttered 9-inch pie plate; chill until firm, about 45 minutes.

Cherry poinsettias: The stem mark of maraschino cherry will be the center of flower. Holding cherry at stem end, use sharp scissors to snip it in sixths from opposite end not quite through. Spread "petals" out around stem mark.

Gumdrop holly leaves: With rolling pin, roll green gumdrops to 1/8 inch on a little sugar between sheets of wax paper. Snip out holly-leaf shapes.

Serves 6.