Old-Fashioned Divinity
Nothing brings holiday cheer quite like Old-Fashioned Divinity. Soft and fluffy, sweet and creamy, the name says it all. It’s divine!
I love anything sweet, fluffy and beautiful! What can I say…
3 years ago, my mother-in-law introduced me to the most delicious, melt-in-your-mouth sweet candies of all time, divinity! We had so much fun making it together and almost burnt her hand mixer in the process! Good times, I’m telling ya. Her mother used to make divinity for Christmas, she said. And I’d happily carry on the tradition!
It didn’t take me long to fall in love with divinity. The name says it all. It’s a divine… Fluffy soft candy with almost creamy-like texture that simply melts in your mouth.
Divinity is a classic southern Christmas treat. And here I am in the far north end of the country, whipping up divinity like it’s no one’s business. It’s ironic though. We have the most ideal climate to make divinity. It’s not as humid as down in the south, which is perfect for divinity making. Because divinity doesn’t like humidity. If it’s raining, you better put it off for another day. Ever heard your grandma stressing this important tip? And that’s rule #1.
Also, you’ll need a stand mixer and a candy thermometer. I know your grandma probably made this by hand, but there’s just no way I can whip this batter by hand for 15+ minutes! I’m a wuss though.
It’s also super easy (…and safe) to beat the egg whites in a stand mixer while pouring hot sugar mixture, unless you have a helper. And even if you have someone there to help you, it’s 100 times easier to have the mixer do all the mixing and your job is to watch the process, because otherwise it’s quite a workout!
Candy thermometer is a must in divinity-making affair. If the syrup isn’t cooked to hard ball stage, your divinity won’t set, and that’d be sad.
By the way, a few year back, I played with a new look for divinity and added festive red and green colors. Frankly, I prefer the classic look though. What do you think?
Old-Fashioned Divinity
Yield: 20-30 candies, depending on size
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (400gr) sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) light corn syrup
- ½ cup (120ml) water
- 2 egg whites
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Pecan halves
Directions:
- To make sugar syrup, mix together sugar, water and corn syrup in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Cook the mixture on low heat, stirring continuously until sugar is dissolved.
- Turn the heat up to medium high and continue to cook the mixture without stirring until it reaches 250°F on candy thermometer.
- As the syrup approaches 240°F, start whipping the egg whites.
- To make divinity mixture, in a large mixing bowl with whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until hard peaks form.
- Reduce the speed to low and slowly and continuously pour the hot syrup mixture in to the egg whites.
- Stir in vanilla extract.
- Increase the speed to high and continue to beat the mixture until it loses its gloss and holds its shape, about 15 minutes. Check the consistency after 15 minutes. If the mixture is stilly runny and shiny, beat for another 5 minutes and check again.
- Line a baking sheet with baking sheet and spray 2 spoons with non-stick cooking spray.
- Using the buttered spoons, drop a spoonful of divinity mixture onto the prepared sheet.
- For colored divinity, prepare a piping bag with large round tip and draw a few lines with red and green gel food coloring inside the piping bag. Then transfer the divinity mixture into prepared piping bag and pipe out 2-inch rounds on prepared sheet.
- Rest divinity at room temperature for at least 2 hours to set, or overnight. (The candies should set in about 2 hours though.)
- Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze them in airtight container for up to 2 months.
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This recipe was originally published on December 18th, 2013.
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This is the first recipe that has actually worked! I’ve tried many times and this is the first time its ever succeeded. Thank you!
Yay, so happy you’ve tried it and loved the candies. And thank you for your feedback, Meghan!
It’s been forever and a day since I had divinity. Love this!
Thank you! Hope you’ll make these soon. 🙂
I learned to make Divinity from my aunt and grandmother….but we never used a candy thermometer. We always just dropped a bit off a spoon in to a glass of water and knew when it was done. Times have changed, but it’s still one of my favorite candies :), thanks for sharing your recipe.
Yes, dropping the syrup in cold water does the trick too. Thanks for sharing your memory, Faith!
My grandmother taught my mom. My mom taught me and I taught my daughter. Now my granddaughters come every Christmas to help me with our candy making tradition. The divinity is my favorite. I live in Louisiana so yes it is of the utmost importance to pick a dry cool day to make it. MERRY CHRISTMAS????
Wow, what a great tradition you have, Rhonda! Thank you for sharing! Hope weather cooperates and you all enjoy some divinity! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
My mother makes the best divinity, soft but firm enough, melt in your mouth goodness with every bite. She will love the swirl.
Ah, I bet those are quite a treat from mom, Michael! Maybe she’ll try with swirls next time. 😉
Do you have the recipe fore ‘hard tack’? It isn’t the biscuit carried on cattle drives in the old West.
It is a crystal looking candy that you can flavor and/or color whatever way you want. In old times I think they probably made only Anise. I have made this, but don’t remember what I did with the recipe. I only remember I had to move fast as it cools quickly after the hot liquid is poured out, something like peanut brittle, and must be pulled out (stretched) to make it thinner. I made mine red that year, and put in a drop or two of cherry flavoring.
If you have, or could find the recipe we. We would really appreciate it.
Hi, Jane. I’ve never heard of “hard tack”, but I asked around and found one hand-written recipe. I’m sending it to you via e-mail. Hope it’s what you’re looking for. And thanks for reaching out.
i bought some divinity today! i haven’t seen it in so long. it looks so yummy!
Yeah, they’re so good. It’s now my once-a-year indulgence! 🙂
Shinee minii corn syrup aray 1/2 cup hurehgui bololtoy, tal talaar ni zugiin bal corn syrup holichihvol yah bol?
Deer usnii orond corn syrup geed 2 oruulchihsan baina uu
Bolnoo, bolno. Gehdee zugiin bal amtagdana shuu. 🙂
Bi savaa shavhaad hiisen gehdee yag 15 min mixerdelgui dutuu avsan bololtoy. Mixerdeed duusahad utgun boloh yostoy baisan uu, miniih jaahan ursaad ch baisan. Uutand hiigeed shahsan chin yamarch helbergui yum bolson kk. Ternees bolohiin huvid bol bolson. Gel color hiisen chin miniih goyo ungu oroogui shdee, sonin hataad tugsgul havitsaa ungu ordog baigaa.
Huuhduud maani goyo baina geed ideed baisan. Yadag ch baisan shine zuil turshij uzsen shuu, bayarlalaa.
Zaaval 15min mikserdene gesen yum bhgui, gol ni utgun bolood toligor bish bolood irtel mikserdene. Miksernii huchin chadlaas hamaaraad 15min-aas udaan mikserdeh tohioldol bii. Bi bas gel color hiisen, bas hataad ungu orohgui bolov uu gesen chini bolj bsan. Taniih yamar hurdan sain hatsan yum be te? Hehe
Za huuhduuded taalagdsan bol ch yahav! 🙂