Divinity And Nougats

DIVINITY | SEA FOAM | NOUGAT | HONEY NOUGAT | SPRING HOLIDAYS | FUDGE | CHOCOLATE FUDGE | OPERA FUDGE or VANILLA FUDGE | PENUCHE | NEW ORLEANS PRALINES I | NEW ORLEANS PRALINES II (with butter)

Divinity, sea foam, its brown-sugar variation, and nougat all belong to the same general family of can­dies made with an egg-white base, though nougat varies quite distinctly from the others in both flavor and texture.
But the secret of making both candies lies in just two things: bringing the syrup up to the right tem­perature and beating the mixture long enough. Both of these candies really require an electric beater.

Divinity has been made by every high school girl with the same fervor with which she makes chocolate fudge, and indeed good divinity tastes and looks more like white fudge than vanilla fudge does.

But somehow or other, despite the popularity of nougat as a commercial candy, few people attempt to make it at home. This is partly because most recipes are of the type that demand nougat paper to spread over the top and bottom of the candy, and nougat paper is hard to get, although fish-food wafers may be substituted. Also, most recipes for nougat produce a sticky, runny candy that will not hold up and is hardly likely to be tried a second time.

Both the nougat recipes presented here have a slightly chewy texture, and if divinity can be called white fudge, then these nougats could be called white caramels. This chewy quality comes with the addition of butter to the recipe and helps ensure a piece of candy that will hold its shape. The two part, three step process is much less difficult than it seems and is important because the second syrup can be added at a much higher temperature, when the egg whites have already been whipped up with a small amount of honey or syrup cooked to a lower temperature. We have found this type of nougat so much more success­ful for the home kitchen that it is the only type we present.

DIVINITY

2 cups sugar, Dash of salt, 1/2 cup corn syrup, 3/4 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup water    1 cup nuts, chopped (optional), 2 egg whites (1/4 cup)           

Combine 2 cups sugar with 1/2 cup corn syrup and 1/2cup water. Stir over low heat until all the sugar is dissolved, and let this mixture boil over medium heat to 256°. Remove from the heat and let stand while 2 egg whites (1/4 cup) are beaten to stiff peaks. A dash of salt is added to the egg whites while beat­ing them. Slowly add the syrup to the egg whites, beating continuously. After all the syrup is added continue beating until candy holds a definite shape and no longer streams from a spoon. This will require at least 15 minutes of beating and an electric mixer will make the job easier. A test can be made before the beating is stopped and unless the dropped portion holds its shape immediately, beating should be con­tinued. When it is ready 3/4 teaspoon vanilla is quickly stirred in, along with nuts, and then the candy is dropped on waxed paper in teaspoon-size pieces. It may also be poured into a pan (8 by 11 inches) and cut into squares. Black walnuts, pecans and toasted hazelnuts are excellent choices for this confection.

SEA FOAM

3 cups light brown sugar , 2 egg whites (1/4 cup), 3/4 cup water, Dash of salt, 1 tablespoon light corn        1 teaspoon vanilla extract syrup

Measure 3 cups light brown sugar, 3/4 cup water and one tablespoon light corn syrup into a 2-quart saucepan. Blend with a wooden spoon, and place over low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture be­gins to dissolve. Continue stirring until the mixture boils, then put in your candy thermometer and boil without stirring over medium-high heat until the ther­mometer registers 256°. Remove from heat and let stand while 2 egg whites (1/4 cup) are beaten to stiff peaks. A dash of salt is added to the eggs while beat­ing them. Slowly add the syrup to the egg whites, beating continuously. After all the syrup is added continue beating until candy holds a definite shape and no longer streams from a spoon and loses its gloss. This will require at least 15 minutes of beating and an electric mixer will make the job easier. A test can be made before the beating is stopped and unless the dropped portion holds its shape immediately, beating should be continued. One teaspoon vanilla is stirred in just before candy is dropped in teaspoon size pieces on waxed paper. Walnuts or pecans may be added —they combine well with brown-sugar candies.

NOUGAT

First Part
3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup egg whites at room, 2 tablespoons water temperature, 2/3 cup light com syrup
Second Part
2 cups sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2 cups light corn syrup, 2 cups toasted whole almonds, 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup pistachio nuts

For the first part, measure 3/4cup sugar, 2 table­spoons water and 2/3cup light corn syrup into a 1-quart saucepan. Blend with a wooden spoon and place over low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture begins to dissolve. Continue stirring until the mixture boils, then put in your candy thermometer and boil without stirring over medium-high heat until the thermometer registers 238°. Remove from the heat and let stand while beating 1/4cup egg whites, which are at room temperature, to stiff peaks. Slowly add the hot syrup to the beaten egg whites, beating continuously, and continue to beat until thick and somewhat cool. This should require at least 5 minutes of beating with an electric beater. Let the mixture stand.

For the second part, measure 2 cups sugar and 2 cups light corn syrup in a 2-quart saucepan. Blend with a wooden spoon, and place over low heat, stir­ring continuously until the mixture begins to dissolve. Continue stirring until the mixture boils, then put in your candy thermometer and boil without stirring over medium-high heat until the thermometer reg­isters 280°. Let this syrup stand until it stops bub­bling, then pour it all into the first mixture and beat with a wooden spoon vigorously until both mixtures are well combined. Add the 1/4cup butter in small pieces and continue beating until very thick. Two teaspoons vanilla, and 2 cups toasted almonds and 1/2cup pistachio nuts are added at the last and the whole mixture stirred well to get an even distribution of nutmeats. Pour into two pans, 8 by 8 inches, and allow to remain overnight in a cool place before cut­ting. Cut into pieces and wrap in individual papers. Candied cherries may also be added at the same time as the nutmeats.

HONEY NOUGAT

2 cups sugar, 5 tablespoons honey, 2 cups corn syrup, ¼  cup butter, 1/2 cup water   , 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4 cup egg whites, 1 cup toasted almonds

Measure 2 cups sugar, 2 cups corn syrup and 1/2 cup water into a 2-quart saucepan. Blend with a wooden spoon and place over low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture begins to dissolve. Continue stirring until it boils, then put in your candy thermometer and boil without stirring over medium-high heat until the thermometer registers 300°. Meanwhile beat 1/4cup egg whites to a stiff peak and slowly add 5 table­spoons honey.

Remove mixture from heat and let stand until it stops bubbling. Then add the hot syrup to the egg whites and honey, beating continuously.

Spring Holidays

Add 1/4 cup butter which has been broken into small pieces and beat in well. When very thick add 1/2tea­spoon vanilla and 1 cup almonds which have been well toasted, pour into a pan, 8 by 11 inches, and let stand overnight in a cool place. Cut with a heavy knife and wrap in waxed paper or moistureproof cel­lophane. This is an excellent nougat for coating with chocolate. The honey content keeps it soft and tender.

Fudge

Fudge and fondant are close relatives. Both are cooked to the same temperature range, 234° to 240°. And neither is beaten until it has cooled, to gain a creamy fine-grained texture. If you wish, you can even treat fudge just as though it were fondant and pour it onto a slab or tray, working it with a paddle or spatula instead of beating with a spoon. This is a speedier process because the candy cools more quickly when it is spread out than it does when left to cool in the pan.

If you like fudge with a soft creamy texture, you may want to try working it this way, although the texture will be just about as smooth if you cool your candy long enough before beating it in the pan.

The best temperature for beating creamy fudge is the same as that for fondant, about 110°, when the candy feels warm under your fingers but not uncom­fortably warm. If you cool it in the pan you can leave the thermometer in and wait until it comes down to the exact degree.

To discover the proper temperature for beating fudge to give it the hardness and slight grain that many prefer, we left the thermometer in several batches and beat each at a different temperature. We discovered that if the fudge is beaten much higher than 150° it will become sugary — a condition that seems to be liked only in New Orleans pralines. But at 150° it seems to acquire just the hardness and tex­ture that belongs to the best of old-fashioned home­made fudge.

Of course, the corn syrup in the fudge recipes acts as a brake against complete sugaring. Brown sugar has its own "brake," so in those recipes using it, corn syrup is not needed.

We have included pralines in with the fudges, al­though one recipe is cooked to a slightly higher de­gree, because they are more like a sugary fudge than they are like any other candy.

Most candies of the general fudge classification, because they are so sweet tasting, improve with the ad­dition of nuts, raisins, if you like, or cut bits of marshmallow.

Fudge keeps well only if wrapped in waxed paper or put in a tin box, and even then will harden or sugar with age. So if you are making fudge for gift boxes make it toward the end of your schedule.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE

2 cups sugar, 2 squares baking chocolate, 1/3 cup corn syrup, 1 tablespoon butter, 2/3 cup milk or equal parts, 1 teaspoon vanilla
milk and cream

Measure 2 cups sugar, 1/3 cup corn syrup and 2/3 cup milk or equal parts milk and cream (for a richer fudge) into a 3-quart saucepan. Blend and add 2 squares baking chocolate. Place over low heat and stir carefully until chocolate is melted and sugar dis­solved. Continue stirring until mixture begins to boil, then put in your thermometer and cook over medium heat, stirring only if candy sticks, until the tempera­ture reaches 238°. Remove from stove, add 1 table­spoon butter but do not stir. Keep the thermometer in the pan and if you want an old-fashioned hard fudge start beating when the temperature goes down to 150°. Remove thermometer, add 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until the candy begins to lose its gloss, turns lighter in color and begins to feel a little grainy under your spoon. Turn out into a buttered pan, 8 by 8 inches, and mark into squares. For a creamy fudge, wait until the temperature goes down to 110°, then add vanilla and beat until thick and creamy. This may take as long as 15 minutes depending on the humidity and this fudge will become much lighter than that beaten at the higher temperature. It will not really "fudge" at all but be more the consistency of fondant. You can pour it out onto a marble slab or platter and work it like fondant if you prefer.

OPERA FUDGE or VANILLA FUDGE

2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup corn syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla

Measure 2 cups sugar, 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2cup milk and 14 cup corn syrup into a 3-quart saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Con­tinue stirring until it boils, put in your thermometer and boil over medium heat until the temperature reaches 238°. Cool to 110°, add 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until thick and creamy. For a harder fudge, begin beating when it has cooled only to 150°. This fudge is known by many names including Opera Cara­mels and Chantilly Fudge.

PENUCHE

1 pound brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, (2 1/3cups) 1 teaspoon vanilla, 3/4 cup milk or equal parts milk and cream

Measure 1 pound brown sugar and 3/4 cup milk or milk and cream into a 3-quart saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Continue stirring until it boils, then put in your candy thermometer and boil over medium heat until it reaches a temperature of 237°. Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons butter but do not stir. For a creamy penuche, cool to 110°, add 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until thick and creamy. Turn into a buttered pan, 8 by 8 inches. For a harder, more sugary candy, let cool to 150° and beat until the candy begins to lose its gloss and begins to feel a little grainy under the spoon. Penuche is easier to doctor than chocolate fudge, if you miss the perfect moment for turning it out. If it becomes too hard, you can thin it with a small amount of cream, which will lessen the grainy texture, too.

NEW ORLEANS PRALINES I

2 cups sugar, 1 cup hot water, 1 cup light brown sugar, 2 cups whole small pecans

Mix 2 cups sugar, 1 cup light brown sugar and 1 cup hot water in a 3-quart saucepan and blend and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Add 2 cups whole pecans, continue stirring until mixture boils. Put in your thermometer and boil over medium heat, stirring only occasionally until temperature reaches 236°. Remove from heat and begin to beat immedi­ately with a wooden spoon. Beat only about 5 minutes until candy begins to lose its gloss and appears only slightly granular. Pour into greased muffin pans as thinly as possible. If the mixture begins to thicken too much, reheat over hot water. This is a very sugary type of brown-sugar fudge with the full flavor of the syrup saturating the pecans because they are cooked right in it. It's good and sweet.

NEW ORLEANS PRALINES II (with butter)

2 cups light brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup water, 2 cups small pecan meats

Measure 2 cups light brown sugar, 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup butter into a 2-quart saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Put in thermometer and add nutmeats. Boil slowly, stirring constantly until temperature reaches 248°. Remove from heat and immediately drop by table­spoons on waxed paper or into greased muffin or patty pans. This is a richer praline than the first recipe, less creamy in texture and less opaque.

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here….