Fruited Christmas Candy

Ingredients:
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chopped candied pineapple
1 cup chopped candied red cherries

Directions:
Butter a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan; set aside.
Combine sugar, cream and corn syrup in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to boil and stir for 8 minutes or until candy reaches soft-ball stage (see note).
Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Beat until mixture thickens and becomes lighter in color. Stir in walnuts, pecans, pineapple and cherries.
Spread into prepared pan; let stand until completely cool. Cut into squares.

Makes 18 servings.

Note: 'Soft-ball' describes the point at which a drop of boiling syrup immersed in cold water, when removed, forms a soft ball that flattens of its own accord but does not ooze. On a candy thermometer, the soft-ball stage is between 234° and 240°F.