Chocolate Divinity Food

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH DIVINITY ICING

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the chocolate and the vanilla. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until melted. Set aside to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Prepare three 9-inch round cake pans: spray the bottom and sides of each pan with cooking spray; line the pans with parchment paper; then spray again with cooking spray.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and the remaining 1 3/4 cups sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and beat until smooth. Add the sifted flour mixture alternately with the milk, starting with a third of the flour, then adding half the milk, and ending with the flour. Stir only enough after each addition to blend the ingredients. Pour the batter evenly into the cake pans and bake for 35 minutes, or until done. Judge doneness by appearancelayers will begin to pull away from the sidesor by inserting a toothpick into the center of a layer. The toothpick should come out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto racks. Remove the paper and allow to cool completely before frosting. Spread the Divinity Icing between the layers and all over the top and sides of the cake.
• Pour the egg whites and salt into a stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment. Beat the egg whites until smooth but not stiff; they should not form stiff peaks.
• In a large saucepan, mix the sugar, 3/4 cup water, corn syrup and vinegar. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then heat the mixture until it reaches the hard ball stage (265 degrees F on a candy thermometer), about 12 minutes. When done, the syrup will spin a long thread when poured off the edge of a spoon. Remove the syrup from the heat and stir in the mini marshmallows. The mixture will be foamy. With the mixer running at high speed, stream the syrup into the egg whites. Beat well, and then beat in the vanilla.

DIVINITY

Steps:

• Cook sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 2-quart pot over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. (On humid days, use 1 tablespoon less water.) Cook, without stirring, to 260 degrees on candy thermometer (or hard ball stage).
• Beat egg whites in 1-1/2-quart bowl until stiff peaks form. Continue to beat while pouring hot syrup in a thin stream into egg whites. Add vanilla; beat until mixture holds its shape and becomes slightly dull. (Mixture may become too stiff for electric mixer). Fold in nuts (if you choose).
• Drop from buttered spoon onto waxed paper. Let stand at room temperature, turning candy over once, until outside of candy is firm--at least 12 hours. Store in airtight container.

DIVINE DIVINITY

Steps:

• In a small heavy-bottomed pot dissolve the sugar in the corn syrup and water. Bring to a boil. Boil to thread stage (the candy thermometer should read between 223 to 234 degrees F). Brush down the inner wall of the pot with a heat-proof pastry brush and a small amount of water to prevent crystal formation.
• In the meantime beat egg whites with mixer and whisk attachment until they hold stiff but not dry peaks. Pour 2/3 of the boiled syrup mixture in a thin stream over the beaten egg whites, whisking all the time on high speed. Put the remaining mixture back on the heat and cook to soft ball stage (the candy thermometer should read between 234 to 240 degrees F). Whisk into the egg white mixture with the mixer on high speed. Add extract. Continue whisking until mixture forms stiff peaks.
• Pour into a buttered 9 by 13-inch pan. Let cool and cut. Store in an airtight container for chewier divinity or leave uncovered for a crispier texture.

ALMIGHTY CHOCOLATE DIVINITY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Toast the walnuts on a baking sheet in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• Process the walnuts in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade until finely chopped, about 8 to 10 seconds.
• Heat the granulated sugar, water and corn syrup in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil. Continue to boil, stirring often, until the temperature of the syrup reaches 250 degrees Fahrenheit, about 5 minutes.
• As soon as the syrup begins boiling, place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a balloon whip. Whisk on high speed until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes. Change the mixer speed to medium. Carefully and slowly pour the 250 degree Fahrenheit syrup into the whisked egg whites and continue to whisk on medium until the meringue is very thick, about 4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Working quickly, use a rubber spatula to fold the walnuts and then the chocolate morsels into the meringue creating a variegated mixture. Divide the mixture into 24 large heaping tablespoons onto a two large pieces of waxed paper, using a finger to push the mixture off the spoon onto the wax paper. Allow to cool to room temperature for about an hour before storing in a tightly sealed plastic container.

DIVINITY FUDGE

Steps:

• Stir the first four ingredients together in a saucepan over low heat until the sugar is dissolved.
• Boil without stirring to 265 degrees on a candy thermometer or until a little mixture that is dropped in cold water forms a hard, almost brittle ball.
• Remove syrup from heat and slowly pour over stiffly beaten egg whites, while beating with a mixer until mixture loses its gloss and a small amount that is dropped from a spoon holds its shape.
• Fold in nuts and vanilla.
• Pour into a greased 9"x9"x2" pan or drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper to cool.
• Store in tins.