Sending you love and the merriest wishes for a safe and happy Christmas!
Divinity is one of my absolute favorite old-fashioned Christmas candies! If you have ever wondered what it would be like to bite into a cloud, these are for you! The women in my family have been making them for years from my great grandmother, Savannah; my great aunt, Maxine,who called it “California Candy” to my grandmother, Tina, and my mom! It seemed right to learn how to make them on my own and incorporate them into my and my husband’s Christmas line up. But I thought it needed a little twist and maybe a makeover. Peppermint flavoring? That sounded good and I love all of the Christian symbolism tied to candy canes. Dye it pink? SOLD. I love these little fluffy, pink, peppermint clouds. They look modern but make me nostalgic all at the same time.
When it comes to making these, let me save you some pain and anguish. Do you know that little supercomputer you’re holding in your hand and reading this recipe on? Okay, great. Now, come back to this recipe, but before you get to work on it, open the weather app on your phone and check the humidity. If the humidity is over 50-55% pick another day to make this, it will not set. Yes, there are culinary geniuses that have guidance on reducing the water content by a tablespoon for each increment of 10% of 50% that the humidity is over. However, I am not one of those geniuses and prefer to pick another day. I have curly hair, humidity and I have never gotten along. Why try to start fighting it now, when John Frieda’s frizz ease gave me no results in middle school? Save your candy making for another day!
Recipe:
3.5 cups white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup (I use Karo)
1 cup water, room temperature
3 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
10-12 drops red food coloring (dealer’s choice here, I like light pink, if you want a lighter or darker color, drop until you get your desired color)
1/4 cup finely crushed peppermint candy
Equipment needed:
stand mixer
candy thermometer
faith and patience
Method:
Into the bowl of a stand mixer fixed with the whisk attachment, add three egg whites. Trust that we are going to going to come back to them and move to step 2.
In a medium saucepan combine sugar, water, and corn syrup, affix the candy thermometer to the pot, and set to “hard ball” or 250 degrees. Bring the syrup mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring just until the sugar has dissolved. Cook until the syrup mixture reaches 250 degrees or the hard ball stage. Trust me, if your candy thermometer is as loud as mine, you will not miss it when it gets close to this stage. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP…
While the syrup mixture is reaching its temperature, let’s turn back to those egg whites (we are building trust and making candy!). Turn your stand mixer to a medium speed and beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. If peaks are achieved prior to the syrup being ready, simply reduce the speed of the mixer to low until syrup is ready.
Once the syrup reaches hard ball stage turn the mixer to a medium speed and in a slow, steady stream (trying not to hit the sides of the mixing bowl and whisk) pour the syrup mixture into the mixer. You might need oven mitts and a spotter to help you!
Add in vanilla and peppermint extracts and increase the speed of the mixer to high.
Beat until mixture loses its shine and can hold its shape; the texture will change from stringy to very fluffy, this step takes me about 20 minutes.
Once the texture is reached, stop the mixer, add the food coloring and mix by hand or let the mixer do the work for you. Mix until just combined and the desired color is reached.
Fill a small bowl with hot water and either using two spoons or a cookie scooper, dip out the mixture onto parchment paper, using the hot water as needed when things get too sticky between dips.
Top scoops with crushed peppermint candy. Allow to set 1-2 hours or until no longer sticky.
Enjoy!
