MS DOWNING'S DIVINITY

This recipe is from an old community cookbook.

2 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup hot water
3/4 cup white corn syrup
2 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Boil sugar, syrup, and water to a definite thread stage. (When the spoon is lifted the syrup is stringy like threads.) Mix salt into the egg whites. Pour 2/3 of the syrup slowly into the egg whites; beat constantly and add vanilla while still beating. Reheat 1/3 of the sugar syrup to a boiling point; add slowly to egg white mixture, beating constantly. When candy forms stiff peaks, stir in the nuts and drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Cool. Store in airtight containers.