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Christmas: Father's Divinity

Source of Recipe

From "Screen Doors and Sweet Tea" by Martha Hall Foose


Recipe Introduction

"The Southern Christmas season does not pass without these crisp, divine, white snowdrift mounds of whipped sugar candy. The best advice I can give for making divinity is to pray. Even if you're not the praying type, and you are alone when you make this candy, you will most likely say under your breath, 'Please, let this turn out' to some higher power. I have a friend who is a priest and a hell of a cook, a funny kind of guy. He has a touch of Ignatius J. Reilly about him, although he recognizes his eccentricities. I dial him up over the holidays when I make this recipe, to ask him to put in a good word for a low-humidity day, which is asking a lot in the South."

List of Ingredients

• 3 cups sugar
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• â…“ cup hot water
• 3 large egg whites
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp almond extract


Recipe

In a heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, bring the sugar, corn syrup, and water to a boil. Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes.

Uncover and cook without stirring until the mixture reaches 270°F on a candy thermometer. While the sugar is cooking, whip the egg whites, salt, and vanilla and almond extracts in an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks.

With the mixer running, slowly pour the hot syrup into the whites. When the syrup is almost all incorporated, increase the speed to high. Do not scrape the bowl. Whip until the whites are glossy and hold their shape well. Using a couple of spoons, drop the fluffy candy mixture onto waxed paper, forming small round mounds. Leave alone to cool and dry for at least one hour.

Makes about 36 pieces



• Do not attempt this recipe on a rainy day.

• The candy can be divided after whipping, with part getting some nuts, a little coloring to tint it pink and candied cherries folded in, some crushed lemon drops or peppermint sticks, and some left plain.

• If the candy begins to harden and is hard to shape, stir in a little hot water until it is soft enough to form.