From 12/13 Southern Living Magazine”Make this recipe all the way through without stopping, spreading the warm divinity onto a still-warm cookie base. If the divinity is too cool, it will tear the cookie base as you spread it.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 & 1/14 cups butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar, divided
- Parchment paper
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 2 large eggs whites
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
- 3/4 cup crushed hard peppermint candies, divided
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Stir together first 3 ingredients.
Split vanilla bean; scrape seeds into bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer. Add butter and 1 cup sugar; beat at medium speed 2 minutes or until creamy. Add flour mixture; beat until blended.
Line bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 inch pan with parchment paper, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease parchment paper. Press dough into bottom of prepared pan. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
Meanwhile, stir together corn syrup, 1/4 cup water, and remaining 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan over high heat, stirring just until sugar dissolves. Cook. without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 250 degrees (7-8 minutes).
While syrup cooks, beat egg whites at medium speed, using whisk attachment, until foamy.
When syrup reaches 250 degrees, beat egg whites at medium-high speed until soft peaks form. While mixer is running, gradually add hot syrup to egg whites. Increase speed to high; beat until stiff peaks form. (Mixtures should still be warm.) Add vanilla and peppermint extracts and beat a medium speed jut until combined. Fold in 1/2 cup peppermint candies.
Working quickly, spread mixture on warm cookie base, using a butter knife or offset spatula. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup crushed peppermints, and cool.
Lift mixture from pan, using parchment paper sides as handles; cut into 32 bars.
Makes 32 bars.
