Divinity Candy Interrupted (recipe: Divinity)
 |
I don’t recall exactly how the conversation came about, but as a new bride, I discovered that my husband loves Divinity candy. Divinity is a traditional nougat-like Southern candy made with vanilla and pecans. Depending on the weather, it can require a rather lengthy mix time in order for it to set up. I had just gotten a new hand mixer as a wedding gift from our family friend, Esta Price. New husband, new hand mixer. Divinity candy was my destiny.
Over the years, I made Divinity many times at Christmas. Some years the process would go off without a hitch. And then there were the years where my little hand mixer would overheat causing me to have to interrupt the critical mixing step. As the hot sugar syrup was mixed, it thickened and caused too much of a strain on my little mixer’s motor. After many years, I thought I should give up making Divinity until I could afford a stand mixer. By this time, the little hand mixer was getting up in age and I would be heartbroken if it conked out on me.
As life goes, all the stars didn’t line up just right in order for me to resume Divinity making for a long time. But, it finally happened. I was able to buy a stand mixer and I haven’t missed a Christmas of making Divinity since then. I still have the hand mixer 36 years later and I use it often. Sacrificing Divinity for years was the right thing to do. The hand mixer means a lot to me. You couldn’t buy a hand mixer today and expect to have it 36 years from now.
It’s avocado green and I think it’s just lovely.
Avocado green General Electric hand mixer
I still have the same husband, too. He’s as handsome as the mixer is lovely. They were both built to last. I”ll leave you to draw your own analogy about the durability of today’s hand mixers and husbands.
I wound up with a good mixer and a good husband. What else does a girl need? I’m forever grateful, indeed.
Y’all come see us!
Divinity
They say you shouldn’t make Divinity when it rains because it’ll never set up properly. I haven’t tested out that theory. I make it when the sun shines. You’re supposed to make Divinity and cut hay when the sun shines.
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup (I use Karo)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
2 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 1 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Combine sugar, corn syrup, salt and water in a 2 quart saucepan. Stir only until the sugar dissolves. Cook to 260 degrees (hard ball stage). I highly recommend using a food thermometer to make sure you get the syrup to the right temperature.
Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. When the syrup is ready, slowly pour it over the egg whites while beating on high-speed. BE CAREFUL! The syrup is hot and it will burn the fool out of you if it splatters. The bread wrapper in the background sneaked in the picture. There’s one in every crowd.
Add vanilla and continue beating until the candy holds is shape.
Add pecans, mix well. I didn’t measure the amount but I’m estimating 1 1/2 cups.
Drop by teaspoons onto waxed paper. These are my husband’s hands helping me make his candy.
Look at all the candy that stuck to the spoon and the spatula. On, darn. Somebody must eat this. You can spray your utensils with non-stick spray to keep candy from sticking. We NEVER do that. We choose to suffer through and eat the candy, instead.
We got 45 pieces out of this batch. Divinity delivery is right on track!
|
Thanks for posting. Divinity is a favorite of mine too. I’ve been married for 37 years and still have my hand mixer I got as a wedding gift. Same brand and color as yours. I don’t use it any longer. I got a Sunbeam MixMaster several years after. Used it for a number of years. Then advanced on up to a KitchenAid that I love. And last year I bought a new hand mixer for small jobs. My mom and I made divinity a few weeks ago…but it ended up a little sticky but still good. Think the recipe we used was same as yours. Not to be outdone, we are going to try it again next month. Hopefully we’ll perfect it. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Oh…forgot to mention. My mom and I were spooning out like you and your husband. My sister grabbed the smallest Pampered Chef cookie scoop and went to town dipping it out. That worked great and went a lot quicker.
Susan,
I’m afraid that my little hand mixer is on it’s way out. The place where the electrical cord attaches is worn and the cord keeps slipping out. I’ll use it as long as I can. The scoop is a great idea. I use a scoop for cupcake and muffin batter. I hope your Divinity comes out good next month. Merry Christmas!
I am totally going to try to make this!!! Divinity is my Mom’s favorite and she has an avocado green hand mixer that still works too!
Amanda,
I hope you enjoy the Divinty. I know your Mom will!
My dad was the divinity maker at our house. He always cautioned about making it when it was damp or raining. I tried to help him once and only ended up making a mess. He used to make tons of it for Christmas to give away. All topped with a puk-kahn of course!
Jean,
Puh-kahns indeed! I wrote in the post that you should make Divinity and cut hay when the sun shines. I’ve never tested that theory, mind you. I won’t even try to make it when it’s rainy.
Jackie there is something about the humidity that just messes with the divinity. I think the day I helped him it was raining and he cautioned that it would not do well…but then I was a hard head and was determined to do it. It was a disaster.
This stuff is a kissing cousin to 7 minute icing…once removed. LOL!
Jean,
It’s related to 7 minute icing and marshmallows, too! That’s a shame that a batch didn’t turn out for you. That’s the reason I won’t even try it when it’s rainy. I would hate to waste the time and ingredients.
Hi !
My Grandma always made Divinity at Christmas when I was a little girl… I think I’ll give your a try ! Thank You !!!
~ Susan
Susan,
Enjoy your Divinity. I hope it brings back some wonderful memories.
Merry Christmas!
Hey, I got one of those little mixers too. I had mine and my husband for 40 years now, and both are still going, LOL! I did inherit my mom’s sunbeam stand mixer, but I don’t have room in my small kitchen to set it up. I never tried making divinity, it sounds pretty tricky!
Connie,
Divinity really isn’t hard to do. It just has a few steps. The main things are to make sure you boil the syrup to the right temperature and then have a good mixer so you can mix it until it holds it’s shape. Yea for good mixers and good husbands! We are both very fortunate!
Brings back soooo many beautiful memories… thanks Jackie! I would dearly love to make some this year! I have a wonderful Kitchen Aid stand mixer (about 15 yrs old or so), so I’m wondering what my excuse is… not really, but that’s a whole nother story.
Your difficulty with your hand mixer reminds me of the time I literaly burned out my first hand mixer making my mother’s recipe for Meringues Glacées. Here’s the culprit: “With electric mixer at high speed, beat the whites until they are stiff enough to hold a shape. Then, at low speed, add
the sugar (2 cups) 2 tablespoons at a time, beating about 2 minutes after each addition…” Excellent recipe, but I had to get a better mixer. It was worth it.
Michele,
Holy smokes! No wonder you’re hand mixer went ka-phloo-ey. I know folks made all the meringue and nougat type candies long before stand mixers. For life of me, I don’t know how they did it.
I was totally thinking about all the women who made candy before stand mixers while I was making Divinity! My arm would NEVER have held up!
Amanda,
Isn’t that the truth??? I just don’t understand how in the world they did it. They must have recruited nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, church members and their children to help!
Hey!! Watch it with all this talk about newer husbands being like new mixers!! My wedding gift hand mixer didn’t even make it to my 5th anniversary, but David did!
Amy,
David is a good one, too! It’s too bad you can’t have a good husband AND a good mixer!
My dad used to make the Divinity every year when I was a little kid. His always turned out perfect….well, I just finished making Divinity and it turned out like the inside of a Look bar! LOL…..I don’t know what happened. It is sunny here today so the weather isn’t the problem. I even used a candy thermometer. I’ve made it years ago and it turned out fine but for some reason today its not like my dad’s. Oh well, I’m going to dip them in Chocolate so they will be just like a Look bar! By the way, I’ve been married 37 years to the same husband but I don’t have the handmixer that was a wedding gift……now I use my Kitchen Aid stand mixer! Merry Christmas and many blessings to all!
Merry Christmas, Sandy!
When I first started making divinity, we used a crank-style egg beater. I was thrilled to get an electric hand mixer when I got married. Husband nor hand mixer either one lasted too long, but 30+ years post divorce, he still tells our son every year, “If your mama has any of that divinity she makes, you can bring it over here with you.” LOL
Joye,
I read your comment to my husband. Your provided some great entertainment for us tonight! Sorry about the demise of husband and mixer. However, your ex-husband certainly appreciates your Divinity making skills!