By LORI FAYBIK, Courier correspondent
December 18, 2007 05:52 pm
—
OSKALOOSA — Linda Van Donselaar says the trick to her no fail divinity is patience.
“I can do it. A lot of people claim the can’t,” she says of making divinity.
Van Donselaar loves to bake over the holidays — divinity, decorated sugar cookies, pecan tassies, peanut brittle, thumb print cookies and fudge are just a few of her favorites.
She loves Christmas, spending time with family over the holidays. She treasures time spent with grandchildren decorating cookies and building gingerbread houses.
“The most important thing is celebrating the birth of Christ and what that means to us,” she says.
With four adult married children and three grandchildren, Van Donselaar stays busy cooking throughout the year, as they all always share a Sunday meal together.
She and her husband have lived and farmed in the Oskaloosa area for about 40 years. She is busy in her church, First Christian Reformed, as a Gems leader.
Over the holidays, she is busy baking not only for her family but also for fundraisers, such as the Festival of Christmas Delights at the Oskaloosa Christian School. Here are a few of her recipes.
Never Fail Divinity
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Boil until it spins a 6-to-8-inch thread or until it reaches 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.
3 egg whites
Just before the sugar and water reaches the desired temperature, start beating the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Very slowly, add the syrup mixture to the egg whites, constantly beating.
Boil the following mixture to softball stage or 235 degrees. Start this while the first mixture is still boiling, while still allowing enough time to beat the first syrup into the egg whites.
3 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
When this second mixture reaches 235 degrees, pour it over the first mixture, beating constantly. She uses her Kitchen Aide Mixer for this recipe.
Beat it for awhile and then shut it off and let it set for a few minutes. Then beat it again. Watch it closely. When it starts to lose its gloss and forms nice peaks, then it is ready to be spooned onto a greased cookie sheet.
Right before spooning it on to the cookie sheet, she likes to add optional items such as food coloring, a half cup of chopped pecans and a teaspoon of vanilla. Sometimes she adds one fourth a teaspoon of pure peppermint extract.
Christmas Cut Out Cookies
3/4 cup white Crisco
3/4 cup Blue Bonnet margarine
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. almond flavoring
2 tsps. baking powder
2 tsps. salt
5 cups flour
Mix all together. Chill for several hours or overnight. Roll out dough to 1/8- to-1/4-inch thick. Cut out with desired cookie cutters. Bake at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes or until barely browned. This recipe is considered a double batch.
Decorator Frosting
8 cups powdered sugar
2 cups Crisco
2 tsps. clear vanilla
1 tsp. butter flavoring
2 tsps. almond flavoring
1/4 to 1/3 cup water
Beat all ingredients together, gradually adding water as you go. Beat 6-8 minutes. You will want it to be a soft consistency, easy for spreading. Store in refrigerator for one-to-two weeks or freeze up to 6 months. Set out ahead of time and bring to room temperature for ease of spreading or for use in decorating bags with tips.
APRICOT PUMPKIN BREAD
15-ounce can pumpkin
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup cooking oil
3 eggs (beaten)
2 1/4 cups flour
1 (4 serving size) pkg. vanilla pudding mix
1 T. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
1-1/2 cups snipped, dried apricots
1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts
Grease and flour three (7 1/2-inch x 3 1/2x2-inch) loaf pans; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine pumpkin, sugar, oil and eggs. Add flour, pudding mix, baking powder, salt and spices. Stir until moistened. Stir in apricots and nuts. Spread into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45- 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool. For best flavor, texture and ease in slicing, wrap and store bread in refrigerator for a few days. Yield: 30 serving
Calories: 185; Total Fat: 10 g (Sat. Fat: 1 g)
Cholesterol: 21 mg; Sodium: 144 mg
Carb: 23 g; Fiber: 1g; Protein: 3 g
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
Photos
