Pistachio Divinity Food

PISTACHIO-CRANBERRY DIVINITY

Steps:

• Line large cookie sheet with waxed paper. In medium bowl, beat egg white with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form; set aside.
• In 2-quart heavy saucepan, mix water, corn syrup and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Without stirring, cook over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes or until syrup reaches 250°F on candy thermometer.
• When syrup is 250°F, continue beating egg white on high speed while slowly pouring syrup into egg white. Beat 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture holds a soft peak and does not flatten when dropped from a spoon.
• Fold in vanilla, nuts and cranberries. Quickly spoon mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Let stand about 30 minutes or until completely set.

SALTED PISTACHIO MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Arrange two racks evenly spaced in the oven.
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread the sugar so it's a perfectly even thickness on the paper right to the edge of the sugar, leaving a border on the paper so the sugar doesn't spill onto the pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges start to brown lightly. Watch carefully! Lower the oven to 250˚ F.
• Meanwhile, place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Just before the sugar is ready, whisk the egg whites on high speed for 1 minute, until frothy. With the mixer on low, slowly add the hot sugar to the egg whites. (I use a large spoon at first, then pick up the paper and pour the sugar in slowly.) Add the vanilla and continue to whisk on high for 10 minutes, until the egg whites are room temperature. (The bowl may still be warm.) The meringue will be very thick and glossy.
• Using two large serving spoons, scoop 6 very large, messy oval dollops of meringue onto each of two sheet pans lined with parchment paper, spacing them out because they will expand while they bake. Sprinkle the pistachios on top and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours (make sure your oven isn't above 250˚ F!), until the outsides of the meringues are crisp but not browned and the centers are still soft. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel and set aside to cool.

PISTACHIO DIVINITY

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with wax paper. Lightly spray with cooking spray. Lightly spray 2 teaspoons with cooking spray.
• In a large heavy-bottom stainless steel saucepan, stir together sugar, corn syrup, ½ cup water, and salt. Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 256°. (When thermometer is near 256° begin beating egg whites.)
• In a large bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg whites at medium speed until foamy. Add vanilla extract and cream of tartar, and beat at high speed until stiff peaks form. Add hot sugar syrup to egg white mixture in a thin, steady stream, beating until mixture holds its shapes and begins to lose its glossy appearance, approximately 5 minutes.
• Using prepared spoons, immediately drop mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Press a pistachio on top of each mound. Let stand until dry before removing from baking sheets, approximately 6 hours.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature with layers separated by wax paper until ready to serve.