Brown Sugar Divinity Recipes

DIVINITIES

Steps:

• Mix 4 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup and 3/4 cup water in a saucepan, then cook over medium heat without stirring until 250 degrees on a candy thermometer. Beat 3 egg whites until firm; drizzle the hot syrup into the whites and beat until stiff. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 cups chopped hazelnuts or pecans. Shape into small balls with buttered hands, then roll in more chopped nuts and cool.

BROWN SUGAR DIVINITY

Steps:

• Grease an 8-inch square pan; set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the sugars, water, corn syrup, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to boil, without stirring, about 15 minutes or until syrup reaches 265°F on a candy thermometer (hard-ball stage).
• Just before the sugar reaches temperature, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer until soft peaks form (tips curl). With the mixer on medium speed, pour the hot syrup slowly down the inside of the bowl, avoiding the whisk. Continue to beat until the mixture loses its gloss, about 10 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and nuts. Press the mixture into the prepared pan; smooth the top with a greased rubber scraper or spoon. Let divinity set before cutting into pieces.

BROWN SUGAR DIVINITY

Steps:

• Grease an 8-inch square pan; set aside. in a large saucepan, combine the sugares, water, corn syrup, and salt. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to boil, without stirring, about 15 minutes or until syrup reaches 265º on a candy thermomerter (hard-ball stage).
• Just before the sugar reaches temperature, whick the egg whites and cream of tarter with an electric mixer until soft peaks form (tips curl). With the mixer on medium speed, pour the hot syrup slowly down the inside of the bowl, avoiding the whisk. Continue to beat until the mixture loses it's gloss, about 10 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and nuts. Press the mixture into the prepared pan; smothe the top with a greased rubber scraper or spoon. Let divinity set before cutting into pieces.

DIVINE DIVINITY FUDGE

Steps:

• Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff. Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Put the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a medium-size heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar, bring to a boil and cook until the temperature reaches 260 degrees F on a candy thermometer, or the hard-ball stage, when a bit of the mixture dropped into cold water holds its shape, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Pour in a thin steady stream into the beaten egg whites and beat with an electric mixer on high for about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla, and continue beating on high just until the candy starts to lose its gloss, 5 to 6 minutes. When the beaters are lifted, the mixture should fall in a ribbon that mounds on itself.

GRANDMA'S DIVINITY

Steps:

• Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line three 15x10x1-in. pans with waxed paper., In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water and corn syrup; bring to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Cook, without stirring, over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 252° (hard-ball stage). Just before the temperature is reached, beat egg whites on medium speed until stiff peaks form., Slowly add hot sugar mixture in a thin stream over egg whites, beating constantly and scraping sides of bowl occasionally. 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., Quickly drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto prepared pans. Let stand at room temperature until dry to the touch. Store between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container at room temperature.

DIVINITY

Steps:

• In a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, cook the water, sugar, and corn syrup until the sugar is dissolved (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly with a long-handled wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. Brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in warm water to prevent the sugar from crystallizing. Increase the heat to medium-high, place a sugar thermometer in the pan, and cook the mixture without stirring until it registers 256°F on the thermometer (about 10 minutes). Brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in warm water two more times during the cooking process.
• While the sugar syrup is cooking, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until they are frothy. Add the cream of tartar, increase the speed to medium-high, and beat the egg whites until they hold firm peaks (3 to 5 minutes).
• Remove the pan with the sugar syrup from the heat. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and pour the sugar syrup slowly into the egg whites, being careful not to drip the syrup down the sides of the bowl. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat until the mixture is firm and no longer shiny (10 to 15 minutes). Blend in the chopped walnuts and vanilla.
• Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper. Drop 1 1/2-inch-wide spoonfuls of the mixture onto the paper, leaving 1 inch between them. Let the candy set at room temperature until firm (about 30 minutes). In a tightly covered container between sheets of waxed paper, the candy will keep 4 days at room temperature.
• VARIATIONS
• Substitute other nuts for the walnuts. Black walnuts are especially good in divinity.
• Praline Divinity: Substitute praline (page 147) for the walnuts.
• Seafoam Divinity: Substitute firmly packed light brown sugar for the granulated sugar. Reduce the corn syrup to 1 tablespoon, and add 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar.
• Orange Divinity: Substitute finely chopped candied orange peel (page 210) for the walnuts, and substitute orange extract for the vanilla extract.
• Lemon Divinity: Substitute finely chopped candied lemon peel (a variation of candied orange peel, see page 212) for the walnuts, and substitute lemon extract for the vanilla extract.
• Ginger Divinity: Substitute 1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger for the walnuts, and substitute finely ground ginger for the vanilla extract.
• Chocolate Divinity: Add 6 ounces melted bittersweet chocolate when adding the nuts.

DIVINITY

Steps:

• Cook sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 2-quart pot over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. (On humid days, use 1 tablespoon less water.) Cook, without stirring, to 260 degrees on candy thermometer (or hard ball stage).
• Beat egg whites in 1-1/2-quart bowl until stiff peaks form. Continue to beat while pouring hot syrup in a thin stream into egg whites. Add vanilla; beat until mixture holds its shape and becomes slightly dull. (Mixture may become too stiff for electric mixer). Fold in nuts (if you choose).
• Drop from buttered spoon onto waxed paper. Let stand at room temperature, turning candy over once, until outside of candy is firm--at least 12 hours. Store in airtight container.