Grandma Peterson's DI (Divinity Candy)

Every summer my mother would take us to visit our Grandma for a couple of weeks.  We looked forward to those summer trips.  In preparation for our coming, Grandma always made divinity candy.  She'd make it, then carefully layer it between sheets of waxed paper in a tin.  After dinner, the first night we were there,  without fail, she would turn to my mother and say, with a twinkle in her eye, "Should I get out the DI?"  Then she would retrieve the precious tin from her cupboard and open it and we'd each eat a piece of her sweet, fluffy divinity.  I think she thought she was fooling us by calling it "DI."  But the truth of the matter is that I just grew up thinking that was the name of the candy.  I didn't know it was called divinity until I was an adult!  This week, our family is celebrating our heritage.  Each of us, including the little grandchildren, are presenting a story or report on an ancestor at our family reunion.  I am telling about Grandma Peterson.  In preparation, I made divinity.  I have tried to make it several times before, but have never been successful.  The first time I made it for this event, it failed again.  But, as Grandma Peterson used to say, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."  So I did, and it turned out great.  I will share my Grandma with my family and then serve them the delicious divinity.

DI (Divinity Candy)

3 cups sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

2/3 cup warm water

2 egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla

Spray a foil lined cookie sheet.

In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water.  Over medium heat, cook and stir until mixture is at firm ball stage (a small amount of the mixture forms a firm ball when dropped in cold water.  When you take the ball out of the water, it should hold it's shape.)  Take the candy off of the heat and in a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Slowly stream 1/2 of the candy mixture into the egg whites, beating as you stream.  The stream should be about pencil-size.  Beat for awhile, then turn off the beaters.  Put the remaining sugar mixture back on the heat and cook to soft crack stage (candy forms soft threads in the water)  Then stream the remaining sugar mixture into the beating egg white mixture.  Again, slowly.  Beat until it's thick and shiny and holds it's shape.  It will take about four or five minutes.  Then stir in the vanilla.  Using two sprayed spoons, spoon the candy onto the foil into fluffy little balls.  Let the candy cool and set.  Store in an airtight container.  A tin would be your best choice, if you want to be like my Grandma!  And think of my Grandma Peterson while you eat this delicious treat!