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DIVINITY
2-1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup white corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Place sugar, corn syrup, salt and water
in a 2-quart heavy saucepan; cook and stir over high heat until sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking without stirring over
medium heat until syrup reaches the hard ball stage (255 deg.). Wipe off any sugar crystals that form on sides of pan with
a dampened dishcloth or paper towel.
Meanwhile, beat egg whites until stiff. Pour hot syrup slowly over egg white
and beat on medium speed of mixer until candy fluffs up. Add vanilla and continue beating on medium speed, or by hand, until
mixture begins to lose its gloss and a small amount dropped from a spoon holds soft peaks. (If the candy gets too stiff for
the mixer, complete the beating with a wooden spoon.) Fold in nuts.
Working quickly, drop candy by teaspoonfuls onto
waxed paper or turn into lightly buttered 8" square pan. If divinity becomes too stiff, stir in a few drops of hot water.
Makes about 24 pieces (1 pound).
VARIATIONS
Pink Peppermint Drops: Add a few drops red food
color and 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract with vanilla. Omit nuts and add 3/4 cup crushed peppermint stick candy.
Vanilla/Chocolate
Layer
Make Divinity as directed. Pour about 1/2 of the mixture into a buttered 9 x 5 x 3" loaf pan or baking dish.
Fold 1-1/2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted, into remaining Divinity. Place this mixture on top of vanilla mixture. When
set, turn out of pan and cut into 32 pieces.
TIPS:
Keep sugar crystals wiped from inside
of pan to prevent your candy from crystalizing. You can wrap the wet cloth or paper towel around a knife and use that to prevent
burning your fingers accidentally.
It is important to beat divinity until it begins to lose its gloss and a small
amount, dropped from a spoon, holds a soft peak. Sometimes the beating takes as long as 12 to 15 minutes.
You can
drop the beaten candy from a teaspoon onto waxed paper if you work fast, but it hardens quickly. If it begins to set before
you finish, stir in a few drops of hot water.
A slick trick when the candy is beaten and ready to drop: Put it into
a plastic bag, snip off one corner of the bag and squeeze the candy out onto waxed paper, making attractive pieces with peaks.
Not only is this method quicker than dropping candy from a spoon, you will get more uniform-looking pieces.
Sometimes
divinity refuses to harden, but if you cook and beat it enough, you should have no trouble. BUT, if you have this trouble,
heat it over hot water until a small amount dropped on waxed paper is firm. The quality of reheated divinity is usually somewhat
below par.
SEA FOAM
1-3/4 cups light brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup
hot water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 egg white
1 teasoon vanilla
1/2 cup broken walnuts
(optional)
Combine sugars, water, corn syrup, and salt in a 2-qt. heavy sauce pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until
sugars dissolve and mixture reaches a boil. If sugar crystals form on sides of pan, wipe them off. Continue cooking, without
stirring, at a fairly low boil to the hard ball stage (260 deg.). Remove from heat.
At once, beat egg whites until
stiff. Pour hot syrup in thin stream over egg whites, beating constantly with electric mixer on high speed. Add vanilla; continue
beating until candy forms soft peaks and starts to lose its gloss (about 10 minutes). Stir in nuts. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls
onto waxed paper, swirling candy to make peaks. Makes 30 to 36 pieces (about 1 pound).
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