Recipe for cooking divinity drops

Desserts to Go with Coffee and Tea :: Divinity Recipes

Divinity Drops

Angelica is a native European herb whose stalks are candied in sugar syrup when they are green. It is available at specialty food stores.

2 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. water
2 egg whites, beaten until stiff but not dry
1 tsp. vanilla extract or flavoring
1 c. nuts, coarsely chopped
About 18 red candied cherries, halved
About 18 green candied cherries or
    pieces of angelica, chopped

In a saucepan, mix the sugar, corn syrup, salt and water. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Continue cooking, without stirring, until it reaches the firm-ball stage (248 degrees F).

Beating constantly, pour about half of the syrup over the egg whites. Cook the remainder of the syrup until it reaches the soft-crack stage (272 degrees F).

Add the cooked syrup to the egg-white syrup, beating until the mixture holds its shape. Add the vanilla extract or flavoring and the nuts. Drop Tbsp.ful of the mixture onto sheets of wax paper. Decorate the divinity with the red cherry halves and the chopped green cherries or angelica. Let the divinity stand until it is firm.