This old-fashioned Divinity Candy recipe is the perfect holiday treat. Divinity Candy is absolutely gorgeous and tastes so good, just like grandma used to make!
Divinity Candy
Divinity is my very favorite Christmas candy. My Grandma Wanda was an amazing candy maker and during the holidays, I have great memories of her kitchen counter full of Christmas candy tins packed with homemade candy. Last Christmas, I shared my Grandma’s See’s Candy Fudge Recipe and Grandma’s Peanut Brittle Recipe. I didn’t have Grandma’s divinity recipe, but this one tastes just like I remember. If you have never tried divinity, I would describe it as a soft, sweet white nougat, a cross between fudge and a marshmallow.
For this Divinity Candy you will need a good quality candy thermometer and I suggest a 3 1/2 quart sauce pan with a handle for easy pouring.
Let the sugar dissolve into water and corn syrup over medium heat, then increase heat to high until mixture reaches 250 degrees F.
While syrup is heating, whip egg white to stiff peak. You will know they are ready when peaks don’t fall over when whisk is turned upside down.
Slowly stream hot sugar mixture into egg white while mixer is beating on high. This process should take about two minutes. I recommend using a pot with a handle to make this process easier. I used a large heavy pot the first time I made divinity and it was extremely hard to pour in a smooth steady stream. I was also quite nervous about pouring the hot mixture into my glass KitchenAid mixer bowl, but I looked it up and the bowl is made of tempered glass.
Divinity
Now here is the tricky part: you need to keep mixing until the mixture looses it shine. You want it to go past the shiny pourable stage to a matte scoopable stage. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, this time can really vary. My batches have taken between 15 and 20 minutes, though if your kitchen is colder it may take less time. Since my mixer was beating for so long, I would set a timer and beat the divinity mixture for 5 minutes, then let rest for 2-3 minutes to give the mixer and the candy mixture a chance to cool down. This is the most import part of the process. If the mixture is shiny, do not scoop it onto the waxed paper, it will spread and stick. Do a test scoop to check. If it spread, keep mixing.
Divinity is traditionally scooped with two spoons then swirled onto the wax paper. This gives it a smooth pretty finish. Spray the spoons with non stick cooking spray.
I like divinity topped with a single pecan to give it a little crunch and savoriness.
Let it set on the waxed paper for about an hour, then store it in an airtight container.
The two spoons technique can be time consuming, and you want to work quickly so the candy mixture doesn’t get too hard.
So I tested out a medium sized cookie scoop sprayed with non stick cooking spray and it worked beautifully. I used this technique to make the nut-free divinity that my girls requested. 😄
You can also add crushed pecans to the mixture before scooping. Here is a picture of the divinity prepared all three ways so you can see how they look.
Divinity Recipe
- 4 cups sugar
- 1 cup white corn syrup
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pecans optional
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Line 3 baking sheets with waxed paper and set aside. In a 3.5 quart saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, whisk together sugar, corn syrup and water. Heat over medium heat until sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally. Then increase heat to high and stop stirring. Continue cooking until candy thermometer reads 250 degrees F.
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While the syrup mixture is heating, beat egg white in a stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Once syrup has reached 250 degrees, slowly and carefully stream mixture into egg white while mixer is still beating. You should be streaming for about 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract.
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Let mix on medium speed for another 15-20 minutes, or until mixture is no longer shiny. If mixer and divinity mixture are still hot, turn off mixer and let rest 2-3 minutes every five minutes to give the mixture a chance to cool.
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Divinity is ready when the mixture is no longer shiny and holds its shape when spooned onto wax paper. The mixture should not spread. Test a spoonful and if it spreads, continue mixing.
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To spoon divinity onto waxed paper, working quickly, use two spoons sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Scoop a spoonful, then use second spoon to scrape divinity onto waxed paper. Gently swirl top of divinity to give it a smooth finish. Let set for about 1 hour. Serve or store in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Optional: Top with a pecan.
You can also use a cookie scoop, sprayed with non stick cooking spray to portion divinity onto waxed paper. This method is much faster than using spoons and makes for perfectly sized portions, but doesn't leave a smooth finish like the spoons.
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I have always loved divinity, but I only have a kitchen aid mixer with a metal bowl, and it won’t allow the mixture to cool down enough that it looses it’s shine, anything I can do to make it work??
I don’t have a Kitchenaid mixer couldn’t I use a hand mixer?
I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why it would not work. 🙂