Divinity

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
½ cup water
2 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
1 or 2 drops of food coloring (opt.)
½ cup chopped candied fruit (opt.)
    *maraschino cherries
½ cup chopped nuts (opt.)

Instructions:
In a heavy 2-quart saucepan stir together sugar, corn syrup, and water. Clip candy thermometer to side of pan. Cook and stir over medium-high heat till sugar dissolves and mixture boils (5-7 minutes). Avoid splashing syrup on sides of pan.

Reduce heat; cook, without stirring, over medium heat to 260° (hard-ball stage). Mixture should boil gently over entire surface. Reaching hard-ball stage should take about 15 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. Immediately begin to beat egg whites in a large mixer bowl on medium speed of electric mixer till stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

Remove candy thermometer from the side of the saucepan. Gradually pour hot syrup in a thin stream (slightly less than 1/8 inch diameter) over egg whites, beating constantly on high speeds of electric mixer. (Add syrup slowly to ensure proper blending. This should take about 3 minutes). Add vanilla and a few drops of food coloring, if desired. Continue to beat just till candy starts to lose its gloss. When beaters are lifted, mixture should fall in a ribbon, but mound on itself and not disappear into remaining mixture. Final beating should take 5-6 minutes.

When candy is beaten enough, mixture will stay mounded in a soft shape when a spoonful is dropped onto waxed paper. When candy holds its shape, stir in fruits and nuts, if desired; quickly drop candy by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. If mixture flattens our, beat ½-1 minute more and check again. IF mixture is too stiff to spoon and has a rough surface, beat in hot water, a few drops at a time, till candy is a softer consistency.

Cool; store tightly covered. Makes about 40 pieces.