This holiday favorite is guaranteed to sweeten any family gathering
Divine inspiration! All you need for these festive desserts is a sunny day. Divinity is a simple concoction but requires low humidity to properly harden, or set. Once made, continue to be vigilant and give divinity candies a home in an airtight container. These variations demonstrate just a few of the possibilities; try a few, and you may get inspired to create your own.
Divinity Recipes
When to make divinity
You’ve heard the old wives tale about not making divinity on humid days. That comes into play with the beating time. On humid days, the beating time can increase to twice the norm — up to 10 minutes.
Equipment
Select a saucepan that is deep enough to allow the mixture to boil but not to boil over and create a big mess. Make sure you have some long-handled wooden spoons for stirring the hot cooking candy. Line baking sheets with waxed paper for dropping the candy after it is cooked.
A word about candy thermometers: Candy thermometers are not just for candy but can also be used to test the temperature of syrups, oil for deep frying, jams and jellies. It can register temperatures between 100 degrees and 400 degrees. It will have an adjustable hook or clip so it can be easily attached to a pan. Remember that in order to have the most accurate reading, the tip should not touch the bottom of the pan.
Testing should be done before you start. Bring water to a boil and make sure the thermometer reads 212 degrees. If it doesn’t, adjust your recipe temperature up or down based on your test.
Candy mixtures cook slowly until they reach around 220 degrees. Start watching the mixture closely when it reaches that point. For divinity, the proper temperature will be 250 degrees to 265 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can drop a small amount of the hot mixture into very cold water. It should form a hard ball that holds its shape but is still pliable.
Cooling divinity
For best results, plan ahead. If you allow the divinity to cool around 8 hours or overnight, you’ll have the best results. You’ll be able to tell when the candies feel dry to the touch.
Storage
Place divinity in a tightly covered container such as a tin. Also, avoid storing more than one type of candy in any container.
