Growing up our family would spend Christmas eve with friends at a neighborhood Christmas party. We would sing Christmas carols, eat lots of delicious treats and the children would excitedly talk about the gifts Santa would be bringing that night. Heavenly Divinity was always on the treat table. It was and still is one of my favorite Christmas candies. I am always drawn to the wild and chaotic beauty of the candy. No two pieces are ever the same. The irregularities and non-uniformity makes this an appealing candy.

Yield: 4 dozen

Divinity can be a finicky so make sure to pick a day with the lowest humidity.

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites

• 3 cups sugar

• 2/3 cup water

• 1/2 cup light corn syrup

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions

1. Line a large baking sheet with wax paper and set aside. Butter two teaspoons and set aside.

2. Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

3. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water and corn syrup; bring to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Do not stir after this point.

4. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and continue to cook without stirring until the temperature reaches 260 degrees F, about 8-10 minutes.thermometer reads 252° (hard-ball stage).

5. Just before the temperature is reached, beat egg whites on medium speed until stiff peaks form.

6. Slowly add hot sugar mixture in a thin stream over egg whites, beating constantly and scraping sides of bowl occasionally.

7. Add vanilla. Beat until candy holds its shape, 5-6 minutes. (Do not overmix or candy will get stiff and crumbly.) Immediately fold in pecans if using.

8. Using two spoons, drop the divinity onto waxed paper, using one spoon to push the candy off the other. This may take a little practice because the technique is to twirl the pushing spoon, making the candy look like the top of a soft serve ice cream. If the candy becomes too stiff, add a few drops of hot water. You will need to work fast when making this type of candy.

9. Allow the divinity to dry and harden. This usually takes a couple of hours to overnight. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks

Popular Variations

• Walnuts and 1 teaspoon of maple extract for maple walnut divinity

• Crushed peppermint sticks for peppermint divinity

• Maraschino cherries

• 2 cups coconut for coconut divinity

• Almond extract with dried cranberries

• Tint with food coloring