Divinity

This is my first attempt at divinity. I think I should have beat it longer...it's supposed to lose its gloss, and mine are fairly "shiny" and a little too sticky, but it was starting to cool and thicken enough that I was anxious to get it spooned and swirled into bite-sized clouds. (Or mouthful-sized clouds, as these turned out.) Still, they're delicious! If practice does, indeed, make perfect I'll improve on these because I do intend to make them again. :)

Ingredients:
2 C sugar
½ C light corn syrup 
½ C water
2 egg whites
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla
(optional: chopped nuts or 1 C peanut butter*)

Directions:
Bring sugar, corn syrup and water to a boil in a large saucepan. Continue to boil, undisturbed, until the mixture reaches 265°.  While it is coming up to temperature...

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form.

When sugar syrup reaches 265°, slowly drizzle boiled sugar mixture in a thin, steady stream down the side of the mixer bowl into the stiff egg whites, continuing to beat on high speed. Continue beating until the candy begins to lose its shine. This can take 5-10 minutes depending on your mixer.

Working quickly, fold in vanilla - and chopped nuts or peanut butter if desired. Drop spoonfuls, twisting into cloud-like shapes, onto waxed paper. Cool completely before serving; candies will firm as they cool.

Store in an air-tight container.

* I have memories of baby-sitting for my kindergarten teacher (when I was years older) around Christmas time and enjoying some Christmas cookies she left out for me...including a divinity swirled with peanut-butter that I thought was quite heavenly! I've never seen a recipe for divinity with peanut butter, though some recipes do include other chopped nuts. I tried swirling the last half of the batch with about a ½ cup of peanut butter, and I thought it was delicious! But maybe it's just me. (???) :)