Divinity: A Sweet Easter Treat – Garden & Gun

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly grease two dessert spoons. In a tall pot, stir together the sugar, water, and corn syrup. Insert a candy thermometer into the pot and cook over high heat, while stirring, to bring the syrup to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low and continue to cook until it reaches the hardball stage, 250°F, or when a small amount of the syrup turns into a hard ball when dropped into a glass of cold water. Meanwhile, using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. When the syrup reaches 250°F, remove from the heat. With the stand mixer on medium speed, slowly pour the syrup over the beaten egg whites. The egg white mixture will just be a dark thick liquid at first, but continue to beat until it begins to thicken and turn white, 3 to 5 minutes. At this point, add the vanilla, salt, pecans, and orange zest. Continue to beat until the mixture is thick and no longer glossy. From the moment you pour in the syrup to this point, it can take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. Once the divinity candy is no longer glossy, turn off the mixer. Scoop out about a tablespoon-size portion of the candy with one of the greased spoons and use the other spoon to slide it onto the parchment paper. It should not be shiny and should easily form into a cloud-shaped mound. Work quickly, because the candy will begin to harden in the mixer as it cools. Don’t worry if it does get too hard, you can add a little bit of warm water and beat it for a few seconds to make it soft again. Let the divinity rest until no longer sticky, about 1 hour. It will keep in an airtight container for 1 week. NOTE: When you stir in the egg whites, you can also add dried fruit and/or shredded coconut.