Divinity

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 or 2 drops food coloring (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped candied fruit or nuts

Instructions

1. In a heavy 2-quart saucepan mix sugar, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup water. Cook and stir over medium-high heat to boiling. Clip candy thermometer to pan. Cook over medium heat, without stirring, to 260°, hard-ball stage (10 to 15 minutes). Remove from heat. Remove candy thermometer.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with a sturdy, freestanding electric mixer on medium speed till stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Gradually pour hot mixture in a thin stream over whites, beating on high about 3 minutes; scrape bowl. Add vanilla and, if desired, food coloring. Continue beating on high just till candy starts to lose its gloss. When beaters are lifted, mixture should fall in a ribbon that mounds on itself. This final beating should take 5 to 6 minutes.
3. Drop a spoonful of candy mixture onto waxed paper. If it stays mounded, the mixture has been beaten sufficiently. Immediately stir in fruit or nuts. Quickly drop remaining mixture from a teaspoon onto waxed paper. If mixture flattens out, beat 1/2 to 1 minute more; check again. If mixture is too stiff to spoon, beat in a few drops hot water till candy is a softer consistency. Store tightly covered.