Here is a perfect example of something old that has become new again. If you’ve ever had Divinity, you’ve had something similar to Sea Foam candy. They’re similar, but Sea Foam is lighter.
Sea Foam Candy
If you've ever had Divinity, you've had something similar to Sea Foam candy. They’re similar, but Sea Foam is lighter.
Ingredients
- 3 cups brown sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup water
Instructions
- Dissolve brown sugar and salt in water.
- Cook without stirring to hard ball stage.
- Beat egg whites until stiff.
- Gradually pour sugar mixture over the egg whites, beating constantly.
- Add vanilla and continue beating until cool.
- Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper and let set up.
My mother made this for bake sales and it always sold out first. Mother used 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar in the brown sugar syrup. As kids, it seemed like the syrup took forever to get to the hardball stage. You do have to mix it for a long time till done.
I love this…I think my grandma used cream of tartar in hers….can anyone confirm that this was an option???
when you beat your egg whites add about an 1/8 teaspoon cream of tarter. It will make your egg whites beat stiff and stay stiff. always use cream of tarter when beating egg whites..
Thank you my Mother Made it for me and sister and brother and dad.
If your egg white don’t stiffen up to a peak, a little cream of tarter will make that easier.
This is the same recipe my grandmother used. I’ve tried to make it twice now, but both times it’s been really sticky, more like soft marshmallows or tasty. Any ideas on how to fix that?
Need to make sure that the sugar gets to a hard candy state before adding to egg whites.
How long does this take?
My mom used to make this all the time…I wish I had her recipe. One thing I know she did was to beat it till it lost the glossy look and looked dull…you can try that.
I have never been able make this candy if it is raining or real humid. Just won’t get hard!
Divinity is very finicky and I can only make it when the humidity is very very dry (when the Northeaster is blowing here in the Pacific Northwest). It turns out more like marshmallows when the humidty is higher. It’s one of the toughest candies to get right.
Boil the sugar and water slower and longer. Make sure it makes a hard ball when dropped in to cold water.
Did you cook it to a hard ball stage?
If you don’t hit the hard ball stage and just go to the ball stage, you can drop it one parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Put it in the oven for Thirty minutes at 170° And it will keep up from being sticky
I think this is the candy my Mother made when I was growing up. I also remember something she made that was pink or green maybe it was divinity. Anyway She put it in flat covered boxes and let it set up in the attic. My job was to check it to see if it was sticky or dried a bit. I miss this candy and I miss my Mother
I think the pink and green candy you are thinking about are called meringue kiss cookies. My mom worked in a bakery when we we’re kids and I loved these. I finally found a recipe for them and made a batch. They we’re just as good as I remember them being. You have to make sure and use a glass bowl that has been washed really good and totally dried and then wipe out with distilled vinegar to make sure there is no residue and then just keep beating the egg whites with sugar and cream of tartar. Use food coloring paste instead of the liquid and make sure there is no humidity in the air or they will not set. You can either drop by spoonfuls or use a pastry bag with a big star tip to drop onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 300, bake for about 8 minutes and then immediately turn down to 200. bake for 30 minutes and then turn the oven totally off and don’t crack the oven door for 12 hours. I kn ow it sounds like a long process but if you do them up in the evening, they will be nice a dry by morning. I love them so much because they go “POOF” when you bite into them. lol.
The candy you might be talking about is Fondant. My Mother (the candy maker) used to make it at Christmas and do things like stuff dates or roll in nuts, etc. She colored it according to what her usage was going to be and it is the only sugar product that I am aware of that you have to “mature” (think she had anorher word for the aging process.
Thank you. This is the recipe my mother use to make. I seem to remember that if the humidity was high, it wouldn’t set up right! Does anyone else remember anything about the humidity?
Yes ! I absolutely remember the same thing – it won’t set up if too humid! Same for Divinity!
Yes, but tonight I made it and it set so fast , I thought I would have re make it!
Thanks for sharing your recipe! My mom used to make this when we were kids. I loved it so much. I have had a hard time finding the right recipe. This is the one!!!! Thank you!!!!
I was so happy to find your recipe for Sea Foam!! I remember stopping at a bakery in Durham when I was a little girl and buying Sea Foam. I have never seen it anywhere since. I’m in my fifties, and I have looked for recipes several times. None of them could match my memory of this yummy candy. Then I tried your recipe! I was thrilled!! My childhood memory has come back to life!
Thank you so much!!
I plan to try this recipe within the next few days (for Christmas). it’s raining today, so will have to wait until the humidity drops. I’ve had seafoam once in my life, about 50 years ago. I remember very clearly, a lady from our church made it and shared it with the kids in her Sunday School class (in Durham also). I’ve never seen or tasted anything else like it. Divinity tastes similar, but I’m looking for the very light, airy, not sticky recipe. Is that what this is?
I plan to try this recipe within the next few days (for Christmas). it’s raining today, so will have to wait until the humidity drops. I’ve had seafoam once in my life, about 50 years ago. I remember very clearly, a lady from our church made it and shared it with the kids in her Sunday School class (in Durham also). I’ve never seen or tasted anything else like it. Divinity tastes similar, but I’m looking for the very light, airy, not sticky recipe. Is that what this is?
Also, how does adding cream of tartar affect the outcome? Did you add it to yours?