Divinity

I know I am dating myself, but it seems to me that Divinity used to be a much more common treat.  I remember eating it as a child, but I haven't seen it in years.  While paging through the Betty Crocker Cookbook I got when I first set up a household, I found the recipe and decided to try it.

 

Divinity

2 3/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup chopped nuts.  I used pecans.

 

Place about 2 feet of wax paper on the counter.

 

Heat the sugar, corn syrup and water in a large saucepan over low heat.  Stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved.  Then cook with out stirring until it comes up to 260° on a candy thermometer.  Remove from heat.

 

Place two egg whites in a large bowl.  I used my Kitchen Aid mixer.  It doesn't like to mix only two egg whites.  I used a whisk to beat them frothy and then let the Kitchen Aid take over.  Mix until stiff peaks form. 

 

Continue beating, or letting the Kitchen Aid do that for you, while pouring a thin stream of the hot sugar syrup into the egg whites.  Add the vanilla.

Keep beating until the mixture becomes slightly dull and begins to hold its shape. 

 

I tried to stop too early.  Don't do that.  Fold in the nuts.  If you stop too early the Kitchen Aid is strong enough to keep on beating. 

 

Butter a spoon and knife and use them to drop small lumps onto the wax paper.  Let cool.  Place in an airtight container.  After you have eaten one (or two) to make sure they are as good as you remember.