This creamy white candy is fluffy and sugary-sweet — wonderful around the holidays.
4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup water
4 large egg whites
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Cook to the hard-crack stage (see note).
Beat egg whites until foamy, then slowly add sugar syrup, beating with an electric mixer on high speed until thick. Add pecans and vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper and let cool.
makes about 16 pieces.
Note: ‘Hard-crack’ is a test for candy at which point a drop of the syrup immersed in cold water separates into hard, brittle threads. On a candy thermometer, the hard-crack stage is between 300° and 310°F.