By Sam 103 Comments
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A recipe for old fashioned Sea Foam Candy! Sea Foam is a light and airy candy that has a dreamy texture that strikes me as a cross between marshmallows and meringues. It’s very similar to Divinity, but there are some subtle differences between the two.
Like the potato candy recipe I recently shared, this Sea Foam recipe also came from my grandmother. It’s a tried & true classic and is perfect for making and sharing around the holidays.
Today we are rounding out our week of candy with a recipe for Sea Foam Candy!
So far we’ve adventured through the following candy recipes:
Some of you might be thinking that today’s recipe looks anawful lot like Divinity candy, and you’re not wrong. However, I’ve decided to keep today’s recipe separate from Divinity for a few reasons.
Originally even I thought today’s recipe was going to be called Divinity and not Sea Foam. If you google “Sea Foam” online, you actually end up with a lot of recipes that look just like my Honeycomb recipe.
However, my grandmother’s recipe, clipped from an old, faded magazine, distinctly reads SEAFOAM right at the top. Sea Foam and Divinity look identical and call for the essentially the same ingredients and nearly the same method, though. So what’s the difference?
What is the Difference between Sea Foam and Divinity Candy?
For one thing, Sea Foam uses a combination of white and brown sugar, while Divinity uses just white sugar. Not that big of a difference there, though sea foam does have a slightly richer(ahem, better)taste.
A more key difference is that while both recipes use corn syrup, Divinity uses much more than my grandmother’s Sea Foam recipe does. It’s believed that Divinity was actually invented by Karo Syrup as a way to sell more of their product. Because my Sea Foam recipe uses only 2 Tablespoons of corn syrup as opposed to the ½ cup that many Divinity recipes use, I didn’t feel that it would be right to call this recipe Divinity.
This difference in corn syrup also causes Divinity to be a heavier candy, while Sea Foam is lighter and airier. Because of these differences, though subtle, I didn’t feel right calling today’s recipe Divinity, and you canexpect a more true-to-form Divinity recipe from in the future.
How to Store Sea Foam Candy
Sea Foam Candy makes a great edible gift because it will keep for up to several weeks. For best results, be sure to store your candy at room temperature in an airtight container.
Enjoy!
More Candy Recipes You May Like:
Sea Foam
A tried and true recipe for old-fashioned Sea Foam Candy! This recipe is similar to Divinity but made with both white and brown sugar and it uses less corn syrup.
For best results, do not attempt to make Sea Foam candy on a humid day. Cool, dry weather is best for Sea Foam
5 from 23 votes
Course: Candy
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cooling Time: 3 hours hours
Total Time: 3 hours hours 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 1 lb
Calories: 140kcal
Author: Sam Merritt
Ingredients
- 2 large egg whites room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar, tightly packed
- ½ cup (120 ml) water
- 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ heaping cup (70 g) chopped pecans or walnuts* toast whole then chop
TOOLS
- candy thermometer I linked to the one I use in the recipe notes below
- pastry brush
- electric mixer I like to use my stand mixer, there is a lot of mixing required in this recipe and I'm not sure that it could be done by hand without an electric or hand mixer.
Instructions
Place egg whites in the clean, grease-free bowl of stand mixer (you may use a large bowl and an electric mixer instead, but there is a lotof mixing required and even using a hand mixer will be an arm workout). Set aside.
2 large egg whites
In a medium-sized, heavy bottomed saucepan, combine sugars, corn syrup, and water.
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar, tightly packed, ½ cup (120 ml) water, 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves. Use a damp pastry brush to wipe down sides to keep sugar crystals from forming.
pastry brush
Once your sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to come to a boil, stop stirring and attach your candy thermometer.
candy thermometer
Continue to cook to 255F (124C) but once your mixture reaches about 240F (115C), keep an eye on your temperature but return to your egg whites in your stand mixer. Add the salt and use a whisk attachment to beat your egg whites and stiff peaks form** -- this can take several minutes even on the highest speed. Be sure to pay attention to your syrup on the stovetop, and let your stiff peak mixture sit while you wait for that to reach 255F.
¼ teaspoon salt, electric mixer
Once syrup reaches temperature, remove from heat and drizzle in a slow, thin stream into the bowl with your stiff peaks while beating on high speed Be careful, go slowly or there will be some splatter! You can start on low speed and gradually increase the speed to high as you are adding the syrup.
Continue beating the mixture until it holds its shape. the mixture will become glossy and very thick, and this will take several minutes. Beat until it is stiff enough to hold is shape when the whisk is raised from the mixture.
Use a spatula or a wooden spoon to stir in your vanilla and chopped nuts.
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ½ heaping cup (70 g) chopped pecans or walnuts*
Use a pair of lightly buttered spoons to drop the mixture by 1 ½ Tablespoon-sized portions onto a wax or parchment paper lined tray, swirling each drop into a peak.
Let the tray of Sea Foam stand until it is completely dry, this could take several hours or it may even need to sit overnight.
Notes
This is the candy thermometer that I use(affiliate)
*Optional: If the nuts you are using aren't already chopped, I recommend lightly toasting them on 350F (175C) for about 5 minutes to really bring out the flavor. Toast the nuts before chopping, then allow them to cool and chop into small pieces before adding into your Sea Foam.
**Stiff peaks have formed when you can remove the whisk from the mixture and the peak that forms (like in the photo) stands tall and does not fold back into itself when you turn it upside-down.
How to Store Sea Foam
Store candy at room temperature in an airtight container for up to several weeks.
Nutrition
Serving: 1oz | Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 68mg | Sugar: 28g | Calcium: 12mg
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!
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Reader Interactions
Comments
John
My mom used to make seafoam icing for cake. Overnight it would get kinda crusty and just melt in your mouth. This seems very similar.
The seafoam/7 minute icing recipes I’ve seen seem a lot more like soft meringue that don’t look like they get crusty/crunchy like moms.
Do you think this recipe could be spread like icing before it sets up?
Thanks much. Look forward to trying.
Reply
Sam
Hi John! I have never tried it. It could potentially be poured, but it may end up being pretty messy. It’s pretty thick and I’m not sure how it would work. If you do try it, I would love to know how it goes. 🙂
Reply
Martha
John,
Look up old fashion 7 min frosting. I think that’s what your thinking about. Mine and everyone’s mother’s and grandmothers use to make it.Reply
Janice
Absolutely amazing, as always. I’m addicted to these little morsels of magic! Thanks again, Sam!Reply
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you love them, Janice! Thanks for the review ❤️
Reply
Jared
Looking for the time and temp they are baked at. I don’t see it above.
Reply
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Jared! Scroll down to the recipe card and you’ll find all of the information you need 😊
Reply
Janice Douglas
So, do I read this right? The candy isn’t actually baked in the oven at all. They are just left to dry?
Thanks for clarifying this for me 🙂Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Correct! The cooking happens on the stove in the beginning 😊
Karen Grace-Serwatowski
This is what I knew as Seafoam growing up too. I’ve been trying to find this, so thank you! To me the other stuff shown is honeycomb candy and looks a lot like what is in Twixt candybars.
THIS is Seafoam!Reply
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
You’re so welcome! We’re happy you found our recipe–enjoy ❤️
Reply
Eleanor
Oops! I didn’t make myself very clear, did I? I was thinking about another recipe that had the conf. sugar. My question was really about whether sifting of conf. sugar should be before or after measuring and was about general procedure, not this particular recipe.
Reply
Sam
Hi Eleanor! It’s difficult to answer. The recipe should really specify. In some instances you sift it before measuring and others you sift it after measuring.
Reply
Eleanor
Good morning! I just found your website and all the recipes make my mouth water. Weight measurement would be helpful for the confectionary sugar. Is it measured before or after sifting? Thanks
Reply
Sam
Hi Eleanor! I’m not sure I understand. There is no confectioners sugar in this recipe. I do try to include weights in all of my posts (older ones are a bit of an exception, but they are all being updated as I find them.) 🙂
Reply
Lori DeGarmo
I was thrilled to find this recipe!! It was something my Mom always made with the help of my Dad & now I know why, all that mixing, and she only had one electric hand mixer. I recall her using black walnuts in them. That flavor sticks in my mind, no pun intended! I remember her saying it had to be a certain kind of weather to make them, but didn’t know what or why. Your photo looks exactly like what she made. Thank you so much! I’m going to buy some black walnuts and wait for a day with low humidity to try making them myself.
Reply
Nicole
I recently read it has to be 40% humidity or below to make great divinity.
Reply
Krystle
Good morning I just came across this recipe and was curious. I’m a not a baker/cook so forgive me if it’s a stupid question but is the brown sugar light or dark? Thank you in advance!
Reply
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Krystle! Light brown sugar will be more mild and dark will have a stronger, molasses flavor. While you could use either, we’d recommend using light brown sugar for this recipe. 😊
Reply
Gwen
I am thrilled to find this recipe. My grandmother used to make it!
Whenever I make divinity, the humidity has to be very low. Is that the case for this as well?Sam
Low humidity is ideal for making sea foam candy as well. It’s not impossible to do otherwise, it’s just best to have low humidity. 🙂
Daryl
I just found an old box of my mother’s recipes, some look like the Dead Sea Scrolls. I came across her handwritten recipe for Sea Foam. Unfortunately the bottom of the page is missing, along with several ingredients. It has been over 60 years since I can recall the event of making these delightful gems. It was great to find this recipe, but I distinctly remember her pulling a cookie sheet out of the oven. They were lightly Toasted on the top. No nuts though. Is that possible? What a precious memory this brought bake. I will try this recipe in her memory.Reply
Sam
Hi Daryl! You can leave the nuts out if you’d like. 🙂
Janet
Today was the day to try this recipe! It came out beautiful. I did have the syrup splatter up the bowl, but it stuck there so I didn’t scrape it into the candy. I was also terrified of burning the plastic bowl on my (very expensive) Bosch mixer, but it didn’t scar it at all. Thank you!
Reply
JFLO
Hey,
This recipe looks pretty cool because I never seen candy like this before. I want to try making a batch for Valentine’s day. Do you think pink food color would alter the taste?Reply
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
You should be fine to add food coloring! You can just add it when you add the vanilla extract and nuts. 🙂
