Divinity

Divinity is one of those treats I remember from my childhood. This is the recipe my mom used to make for us. It is actually quite simple and a fun thing to try if you are looking for something new.

4 C. Sugar
1 C. Karo Syrup
3/4 C. Water
3 Egg Whites
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 C. Chopped Nuts

Combine sugar, Karo and water and cook in a pan to the hard ball stage. Beat egg white until stiff, while mixer is running pour sugar mixture in a fine stream into the egg whites. Continue mixing until mixture holds it's shape and looses it's gloss. Add vanilla and nuts. (Nuts are optional) Drop mixture by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Allow to cool completely.

Microwave Caramel

In high school one of my girlfriends used to make these microwave caramels and bring them to share with everyone. They're easy, delicious and there is just something fun about unwrapping wax paper and sinking your teeth into a gooey caramel, wouldn't you agree?

2 cubes butter
2 1/4 c. brown sugar
1 c. karo syrup
1 can sweet condensed milk
dash of salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter, blend in sugar, milk, salt & karo syrup. Cover microwave on high for 10-12 minutes. Take out and stir, cook on medium high 16-20 minutes or until candy forms, add vanilla. Pour into greased 8x8 pan. Cool and cut. Wrap in wax paper.

Psychedelic Lollipops

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup
2/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
Few drops food coloring (yellow, blue, red)

Directions
On a parchment lined baking tray, lay out lollipop sticks in rows, leaving 2 inches of space between them for fun free-form lollipops.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a clean, dry, small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, bring to a boil over high heat. Without stirring, cook until the mixture reaches 305 degrees F or "hard crack" stage on the candy thermometer. (While the syrup is cooking, occasionally wash down the sides of the pan with a clean brush dipped in water, to prevent crystallization.) Set up an ice bath in a sink.

When the mixture is done, remove the pot from the heat and dip it into the ice bath for 15 seconds to stop the cooking. Remove the pot of syrup from the ice bath and stir in 1/2 teaspoon orange extract. Divide the sugar mixture between 2 heat-safe measuring cups. Color 1 measuring cup with yellow food coloring and the other with blue food coloring, stirring very gently so that the color is evenly distributed. To avoid air bubbles in the finished lollipops, stir the mixture gently in both directions, but be careful not to over mix.

Pour or carefully spoon a little of the syrup around each lollipop stick, creating freeform designs covering at least a 1/4-inch of the end of each lollipop stick. Then add blue coloring to the yellow measuring cup to make green and add red food coloring to the blue measuring cup to make purple, and pour more syrup onto the pops.

Re-warm the syrups in the microwave a few seconds at a time if they are cooling too much and setting up. Cool the lollipops for at least 20 minutes, until hard. Lift off the pan and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.