Divinity for Newbies

Stir the first four ingredients together in a saucepan over low heat until the sugar is dissolved.

Set timer for 20 minutes (this is so you will know when to begin mixing the egg whites).

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. (Expect this to typically take about 25 minutes.).

When timer goes off and while your sugar mixture has not yet reached 265 degrees, beat your egg whites until they form stiff peaks - typically 5-8 minutes on a setting of 4 on a Kitchenaid mixer.

Remove syrup from heat once it has reached 265 and **slowly** pour over stiffly beaten egg whites while beating with a mixer. Continue mixing until mixture loses its gloss and a small amount that is dropped from a spoon holds its shape. Specifically, this takes me about 10-15 minutes on level 4 on my kitchenaid mixer.

Fold in vanilla.

Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper to cool.

Store in sealed container - they will go stale if left out!