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1
This makes a double batch. You can make a single batch by using half of everything except the baking powder and salt.
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2
Grab a heavy pot-a thin one cooks it too fast, unless you adjust the heat a notch or so lower. We'll get to that.
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3
Combine sugar, Karo syrup and hot water. With the heat on high, boil that stuff with a candy thermometer alongside of it.
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4
Once it starts to boil, it should take 15 minutes to get to 260 degrees. If you get there too soon, it might burn it- that's the reason for the heavy pot. Watch your temperature as it climbs. It'll take longer to get to the last 15 degrees or so.
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5
At some point in all of this, you'll need to beat 4 large egg whites in your mixer. You can start this near the end of the boiling stage or begin now and leave the syrup cooking on low. You want stiff peaks.
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6
With the mixer still running, pour the syrup mixture in s-l-o-w-l-y, but consistently and keep that joker on high.
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7
After you've put in the syrup, and while it's mixing away, add baking powder and salt.
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8
After it's mixed for about five minutes and is thickening, add vanilla. If you like pecans in yours, put some in and mix by hand so you don't tear up your mixer.
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9
Now, my mom makes hers by dropping them by rounded tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper. That's fine, but the stuff gets firm pretty quick and dropping them by spoonfuls is time consuming, so I pour mine onto a baking sheet covered in waxed paper to cut into bars. I've also learned a trick to grease the bottom of the baking sheet before I line it with waxed paper. That way, the paper adheres to the pan and doesn't slide around while I'm trying to wrestle the quickly hardening candy out of the bowl.
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10
And it really doesn't want to come out of the bowl, but if you work quickly and don't worry about scraping the bowl clean, you will get most of the candy onto the waxed paper. Spread it around as quickly as you can, to even it out. I sometimes use an offset spatula to try and cover it evenly.
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11
You can either flip that joker over and cut into squares, or you can cut it right in the pan. I like to let it cool to room temperature before cutting. Plus, I'm probably making another batch while this one cools. I peel off the waxed paper before cutting, so I don't cut the wax paper too. Plus remember there's grease on the backside of it, and I don't like to have to peel off little squares. A pizza cutter works nicely to make squares.
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12
You can get tiny cookie cutters and cut out shapes if you want; grease the cutters with butter or put them in warm water before each cut. That is rather tedious though, and it can be difficult to get the candy out without distorting the shape.
