Divinity is a nougat-like sugar candy that is aerated with egg-white foam. It’s a cross between a meringue and a candy, and can be soft and chewy, or hard and crunchy depending on temperature and ratio of sugar syrup to egg whites.
When done right, it’s light, fluffy, and well – simply divine. You can add nuts, dried fruits, or the classic pecan, however we’re purists and like our divinity to remain as pure as driven snow.
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Here’s how you do it:
Begin by beating the egg whites in a bowl, or a large standing mixer until peaks form.
Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Cook until the mixture reaches *260°F, or hard ball stage.
At this stage, a candy thermometer is of the utmost importance. Allowing the mixture to get too hot will disrupt the light and fluffy texture of the finished product. The Super-Fast® Thermapen® is the ideal tool for the job. It reads temperatures in 3 seconds and is accurate to ±.7°F. With a Thermapen, it’s so much easier to avoid burning your sugar.
Another option for monitoring the temperature of your cooking sugar is the ChefAlarm, Cook’s Illustrated’s “winner” for clip-on digital thermometers for candy-making and deep frying. With an included pot clip, it’s easy to attach your probe to the side of the pot. Set the high alarm to sound when you’ve reached 260°F and you’re all set. ChefAlarm’s temperatures are accurate to within 1° so there’s little chance of overcooking the sugar.
Once to temp, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the egg whites, beating constantly. Continue beating to let the mixture aerate (roughly 5-8 minutes). Mix in vanilla and fruits or nuts (if you must) until fully incorporated.
Drop a teaspoonful onto a cookie sheet coated with non-stick spray, or better yet, a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Let cool. For those of you who are more particular about presentation, the mixture can also be poured into a 9-inch square pan, cooled and cut into uniform squares.
Consider this: divinity hates humidity. It’s best to make divinity on a cool, dry day. If it’s humid (over 50%) or rainy, the candy might end up with a more gooey, or grainy texture. If you’re making candy on a hot or humid day, cook the candy a few degrees higher than the recipe specifies to overcome these undesired side effects.
*260°F is only applicable at sea level. If you’re at a higher elevation, you need to reduce temperature by 1°F for every 500 ft above sea level. For more candy temperatures, see our candy temperature chart, here.
Ingredients:
3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2/3 cup warm water
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
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Resources:
Harold McGee – On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen
Myrecipes.com
FAQs
Divinity: The homemade treat that's simply divine. Divinity is a nougat-like sugar candy that is aerated with egg-white foam. It's a cross between a meringue and a candy, and can be soft and chewy, or hard and crunchy depending on temperature and ratio of sugar syrup to egg whites.
Why is divinity candy so hard to make? ›
Divinity is a candy that is primarily made only around the Christmas holidays in the South. There are a number of reasons for that, the primary one being Southern weather, particularly in the Deep South where humidity rules the atmosphere most of the time. Humidity equals wet, and wet equals candy that often won't set.
What's the difference between meringue and divinity? ›
Divinity Candy Versus Meringue
In a meringue, the sugar syrup is cooked to about 240°F or until the sugar forms a soft, malleable ball when a spoonful is dropped in cold water. For divinity, the sugar is taken a bit further to 250°F (or the firm ball stage) where it can hold more structure.
What is the difference between nougat and divinity? ›
Divinity has a sweet and creamy flavor with hints of vanilla, while nougat offers a sweet and nutty taste.
Why is my divinity chewy? ›
Why is my Divinity chewy or crumbly? If the texture of your divinity just isn't right, it may be that your temperature was off. Make sure to cook your sugar syrup to 260°F, and beat your egg white-syrup mixture until it loses its glossy sheen for the right final consistency.
Is divinity candy safe to eat? ›
Dry meringue shells, which are baked in the oven, are safe. Divinity candy is also safe. Avoid icing recipes using uncooked eggs or egg whites. However, "seven-minute frosting," made by combining hot sugar syrup with beaten egg whites, is safe.
Does the weather affect making divinity? ›
It's best to make divinity on a cool, dry day. If it's humid (over 50%) or rainy, the candy might end up with a more gooey, or grainy texture.
How long does it take divinity to set? ›
Divinity should be dry and set within two hours, but have patience. It may take a little longer. If you would like to try correcting a thin divinity, beat in a little bit of powdered sugar at a time until the consistency is drier and thicker, before dropping onto sheets of waxed paper again to dry.
Why is divinity original sin so good? ›
Not only does it have an impressive combat system and interesting quests, it features a reactive world that you can truly leave your mark on. Add in a winning sense of humour, well thought-out gameplay systems, and a charming aesthetic, and you're left with an RPG that would be a sin to miss. Archived post.
How long do you have to beat divinity? ›
When focusing on the main objectives, Divinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition is about 61 Hours in length. If you're a gamer that strives to see all aspects of the game, you are likely to spend around 107 Hours to obtain 100% completion.
Product Care and Storage
| Product | Shelf Life |
|---|
| Divinity Rounds | 2 weeks |
| Divinity Bars | 8 weeks |
| Gummi items | 24 weeks |
| Fudge (all flavors) | 4 weeks |
34 more rowsBut if your divinity fails to harden, you can beat in two tablespoons of powdered sugar and allow the mixture to rest a few minutes; if the candy hardens too much, you can blend in hot water a tablespoon at a time until the perfect, fluffy consistency is reached.
Why does divinity fail? ›
You can't make it if it is "too" humid or if it's raining. The moisture in the air will keep the candy from setting and drying properly.
Why is my divinity not getting stiff? ›
As sugar attracts water, any humidity or moisture in the air can affect how your divinity turns out. Divinity should be dry and set within two hours, but have patience. It may take a little longer.
Is Divinity Original Sin complicated? ›
If you don't farm enough to get all the skills and some good armour then yes it can be hard. The good thing about this game is like even after 80 hours there are still things to learn and to experiment. eh, kinda. On normal difficulty it's harder than the average game but not quite at "the dark souls of" level.
What to do when divinity doesn't set up? ›
But if your divinity fails to harden, you can beat in two tablespoons of powdered sugar and allow the mixture to rest a few minutes; if the candy hardens too much, you can blend in hot water a tablespoon at a time until the perfect, fluffy consistency is reached.
