Yummy Old Fashion Candy As Good Today As Ever! Try My Divinity Recipe From My Teen Years!

I just don't think there is anything better than old fashion homemade candy. Maybe it's the memories and maybe it's the taste or perhaps it is a combination of the two, whatever the reason these candies are hard to beat. One of the things I remember so well about my dad is how he enjoyed getting us in the kitchen on cold winter evenings and making candy. I think I got my tendency to experiment from him. He would say, "What should we do now?" or "Why don't we try adding this?" My sister and I always loved the confections we came up with, even if we had to eat them with a spoon! Yes, that happened on more than one occasion. Both my parents allowed me to experiment in the kitchen and never complained if I made a mess, either physically or with the item I was making. Those experiences served me well over the years and continue to provide me with wonderful memories even though both my parents have been gone for years.

Once I spent the night with a new girl who had moved to our area from out-of-state. She was very shy and was having trouble making friends. When her parents asked my parents if I could spend the night, I wondered what we would do. We really didn't know each other much at all and I had no idea if we had anything in common. It didn't take us long to realize we both enjoyed the kitchen. We bonded that night over concocting a batch of divinity in her kitchen. We wrote our recipe down and it is still my favorite to this day, around 50 years later. Here is the recipe. Make up a batch and see if it isn't your favorite divinity, too.

MY FAVORITE CHILDHOOD DIVINITY
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup clear corn syrup
1/2 cup water
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
1 or 2 drops food coloring, optional
whole pecans for garnish

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook, stirring, over a medium-high heat until the mixture boils. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 260 degrees or reaches the hard-ball stage. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from heat and remove the thermometer.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until the whites are stiff (peaks stand tall when beaters are removed). Gradually pour the hot syrup mixture in a thin stream over the egg whites, beating on high speed for about 3 minutes scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the vanilla and food coloring, if using. Continue to beat at high speed just until the candy starts to lose its glossy look (about 5 to 6 minutes). When beaters are lifted, mixture should fall in a ribbon that mounds on itself.

Place a drop of the candy onto a waxed paper surface; if it stays mounded, it has been beaten enough. If not, beat for another minute and try again. If the candy is too stiff to spoon out, add hot water a drop or two at a time until the candy is softer. Quickly drop by spoonfuls onto the waxed paper surface and place a pecan half atop each piece. Press down lightly to adhere to the candy.

Store in a tightly covered container.

Yield: approximately 40 pieces

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's 'sweet' recipes visit her blog at http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com
For her diabetic recipes visit her at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com