Pistachio divinity

Gwen Schoen

While many traditional divinity recipes call for pecans, who's to say you can't use pistachios!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract
Green food coloring, optional
1 1/2 cups minced, unsalted pistachios

Directions

Place sugar, syrup and water in a large, heavy saucepan; insert a candy thermometer. Heat and stir over moderate heat until sugar is dissolved. Lower heat slightly and cook, uncovered, without stirring until the temperature reaches 260 degrees. Toward the end of cooking, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.

When the syrup mixture reaches 260 degrees, add it to the egg whites in a very slow, fine stream, beating hard without stopping. Continue adding the syrup, more quickly toward the end, until all the syrup is incorporated. Add vanilla, almond extract and food coloring, if desired, and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in pistachios. Drop candy from rounded tablespoons onto baking sheets lined with wax paper and cool thoroughly.

Makes 1 1/2 pounds