A friend* mentioned that she was waiting until the end of the week to make her Christmas Divinity. It made me chuckle. I rememer all the gooey batches of divinity my mother made through the years because she didn’t believe my dad when he told her that it was too humid. This is a fact of Christmas candy life. And the best cook in the Red Dirt Royalty family confirms this. Welcome to “Throwback Tuesday.” 😉 She said I could share the family recipe, which was kind since it’s MY family recipe!
Granny’s Christmas Divinity
3 1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Water
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup White Syrup (Karo brand is what we use)
3 beaten egg whites (stiff)
1 Cup Pecan pieces
Let’s Make It
Mix first 3 ingredients in a medium sauce pan. Heat until sugar dissolves then cook to 260 decrees on a cooking thermometer. Pour over egg whites while mixwer is on. Add vanilla. Beat. Add pecans and mix. Cool mixture then drop by rounded spoonfuls on foil lined cookie sheet. Let completely cool then store in airtight container.
Tips:
1 – You can use parchment or wax paper but we’ve always used aluminum foil. Not sure why.
2 – Any “white” syrup brand will work. We’ve just always used Karo.
3 – Check the humidity. You want a dry, cool day with 50% or less humidity.
Now, I’m sure you’re asking yourselves who is the best cook in the Barron and Tate families? It’s Katherine Barron Tate, of course! She looks completely at home in the kitchen in her jeans, boots, chambray shirt with the sleeves rolled up and her apron. More often than not, she’ll be wearing her peearls too, because that’s how she rolls. If you’d like to read how country star Deacon Tate finds a baby on his tour bus and Oklahoma Highwaqy Patrol Trooper Quin Kincaid is wrangled into baby guard duty, grab a copy of THE COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS PROPOSITION. FYI, it’s on sale at Amazon for $1.99 in the Kindle edition. No clue if it’s on sale at other outlets. Just click on the title or a pic with the cover to hit the Amazon link. What about y’all? Do you have any family holiday recipes?
*I’m lookin’ at you, Patti! 😉
Silver James 
Sounds like a fun recipe. I’ve never even had divinity. I’ll have to try it sometime. (Eating it, not making it. I think we’re too moist here.)
As for the book, it is totally awesome. I love Deacon and Quin! And I love Katherine! The only ‘family’ recipe I can remember for the holidays was my mother’s fudge. But it’s the recipe off the back of the marshmallow fluff jar, so not that big a secret. LOL
LOL Some of the best “family” recipes come from the back labels. I can’t imagine making chocolate chip cookies using any recipe but the one on the back of the Nestle Toll House Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips package. I have no real idea where Mother got her divinity recipe either. It’s just the one she always used, kind of like the family yeast roll dough recipe.
And glad you enjoy Deke and Quin. They were fun to write!