Never Fail Divinity (2024)

Never Fail Divinity (1)

Divinity, made a little easier by using marshmallow creme.

First things first. {pulls out hissy fit soapbox} Calling a recipe "no fail," or "never fail" is bound to be risky because without fail, somebody is gonna come along who doesn't follow the directions and yet, will blame the recipe, or even me, for their failure.

The truth is, this never fail version of divinity has been around at least as long as, or maybe even longer, than me, and it truly is no fail - if you follow directions. Thousands of folks have been making it successfully for many years, but like any divinity, shortcut or not, you must beat the hot sugar.

You must beat it until it is no longer shiny, but begins to dull in appearance.

You must beat it until you beat in enough air that it cools and begins to thicken.

You will know when its ready, and if it's thin as syrup, it's not ready. Keep beating.

Yes. You must beat it until you think your arm is gonna fall off!
I you do that, I promise, it works. {tucking away the soapbox}

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.

Even in the cooler and less humid months, it can be a challenge to make old fashioned divinity - that being a divinity that is purely sugar, corn syrup, water, egg whites, chopped pecans, a little vanilla - and a goodly amount of elbow grease. Of course, divinity isn't necessarily a Southern confection, but pretty much every Southerner has a recipe of their own, and a memory, centered around a tray of sweet, sugary divinity.

Perfect homemade divinity is not an easy task to pull off in my opinion. Besides weather, timing is everything, beating it just right, knowing when to stop beating, and being able to spoon it down very quickly before it begins to set, all make a difference. Every single Christmas I plan to make my Mama's old fashioned holiday divinity and every single year the weather doesn't cooperate on the day I have set aside to make it. If it's about to rain, has just rained, or is raining, forget about it.

If it's hot and humid outside - the norm in the Deep South - it doesn't matter what you set your air conditioner on inside, your divinity will still likely fail and never set. Yes. We run our air conditioners in the month of December down here. So, every year, before you know it, the holiday has come and gone and no divinity comes from my kitchen.

Besides that, it's practically a team effort to get it right and you really almost need more than two hands to make it. My mother-in-law, her sister and a friend of theirs, gather each year to make massive batches of divinity for Christmas, and it's quite a production, taking them literally hours to do.

Anyway, because of all that, many of us have turned to shortcut methods using the microwave, or adding in things like baking powder, packets of gelatin and marshmallow creme, or whatever works to easily stabilize things and not have to deal with the less convenient, old fashioned ways. This shortcut version has actually been around a long time and it uses marshmallow creme, an ingredient that anybody who makes fudge is familiar with, for some of those very same candy-making challenges. Making a true, homemade fudge is also difficult and temperamental but add in marshmallow creme and voilà, it magically transforms that sugar. It still doesn't hurt to follow the same basic principles of divinity making, so I've included the tips from my old fashioned divinity at the bottom.

My husband actually likes this version of divinity better than the old fashioned divinity and says, "this is the way that divinity is supposed to taste." Well, in my opinion, none of the shortcut versions will ever meet up to Mama's old fashioned, homemade version, but I do have to say, this one really is pretty darned good.

Here's how to make it.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Place marshmallow creme in a large, metal or heat safe bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, add the sugar, water and salt.

Never Fail Divinity (2)Never Fail Divinity (3)

Heat over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Let boil without stirring for 2 minutes, and no longer. Immediately pour the entire sugar syrup over the marshmallow creme and using a wooden spoon, begin to carefully beat the syrup into the creme.

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Important: Beat the mixture until it begins to dull and no longer has a sheen. Just like any other divinity, you must beat it long enough, so don't lose patience with the process! Mixture will thicken once you beat in enough cool air and it begins to look dull and not shiny. If you try to drop it when it is still too hot and thin, it will not hold its shape and it is not ready! Continue to beat it. You will know when it is ready.

Once thickened, mix in the vanilla and pecan and work quickly to drop mixture by spoonfuls onto the parchment and garnish with a pecan half, if desired. Candied cherries are also very pretty. Set aside to dry for several hours before storing. How many you get will depend on how you drop them - generally somewhere between about 24 to 40.

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Don't worry that your divinity isn't picture perfect little rounds of white clouds. The rustic looking drops is what gives it character and defines it as homemade.Divinity, whether made the old fashioned way, or using a shortcut, should never be hard or dry and brittle, or grainy and clumpy looking, but light, airy and with a creamy, soft bite. Leave uncovered overnightto allow it to air dry before storing. I like to place the whole tray into the cold oven and leave them there overnight.

Never Fail Divinity (8)

Here's how to make it.

Never Fail Divinity (9)

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Never Fail Divinity (2024)

FAQs

Why is divinity candy so hard to make? ›

Humidity equals wet, and wet equals candy that often won't set. Even in the cooler and less humid months, it can be a challenge to make old fashioned divinity - that being a divinity that is purely sugar, corn syrup, water, egg whites, chopped pecans, a little vanilla - and a goodly amount of elbow grease.

Can you make divinity on a rainy day? ›

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 to tell when divinity is done? ›

The divinity is ready when it holds its shape in a mound on the parchment paper. If it turns into a puddle, continue beating the mixture.

How long will divinity keep? ›

Store at room temperature 1 to 2 weeks. Layer fudge pieces or divinity between waxed paper in an airtight container to prevent from quickly drying out.

What to do with failed divinity? ›

If your divinity candy fails to harden, add 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and beat again. Allow it to rest for about 15 minutes. This will absorb more moisture and will allow your sweet treat to harden. If you want your divinity candy to soften up a bit add hot water a tablespoon at a time and beat it again.

What is the most complicated candy to make? ›

What Is the Most Difficult Candy to Make?
  1. Rock candy. It requires a lot of patience and precision to create the perfect crystal formation. ...
  2. c.berlin · CC BY-SA 4.0. Turkish Delight. ...
  3. Fudge. ...
  4. Licorice. ...
  5. Hard candy. ...
  6. Marshmallows. ...
  7. Toffee. ...
  8. Caramel.

Why did my divinity go flat? ›

Extremely humid days can cause Divinity to become too moist. In other words, fall flat and be too sticky.

Does divinity need to be refrigerated? ›

Divinity candy can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. It can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. If you are storing divinity candy in the refrigerator, let it come to room temperature before cutting it into squares.

What is the best humidity for divinity? ›

The perfect divinity climate has a relative humidity of less than 35 percent. If you live in an area that's hardly ever that dry, you can always run your air conditioner or a dehumidifier for about a day or so before making divinity.

What is the shelf life of divinity? ›

Product Care and Storage
ProductShelf Life
Divinity Rounds2 weeks
Divinity Bars8 weeks
Gummi items24 weeks
Fudge (all flavors)4 weeks
34 more rows

What beater to use for divinity? ›

Use the heavy mixer attachment, not the whisk one. The lighter whisk beater gets stuck as the divinity gets harder.

Why is it called divinity candy? ›

Divinity gets its name because it tastes, well, divine. The nougat-like candy is made with egg whites, sugar, and corn syrup.

Does humidity affect divinity? ›

The higher the humidity, the more water vapor is available for the sugar molecules to attract. The result: A divinity that is less pillowy soft and more gooey and gritty in texture.

What's the difference between fudge and divinity? ›

Is it fudge? Actually, divinity is a candy that has the texture of a marshmallow, although there are no marshmallows used in the recipe. It's also similar to fudge, but still so different. (Is that clear enough😉 ?)

Why does my angel food candy fall? ›

It's normal for the mixture to rise and then fall some in the pan. Let cool completely.

Is Divinity Original Sin complicated? ›

Every encounter in this game is very different and requires plenty of thought from what I find anyway, don't just expect to walk forward, bump into some enemies, and then send your melee forward and keep your range back and expect everything to be dandy, the enemies have just as much chance killing you as you do ...

Is divinity hard or soft? ›

Unlike nougat, divinity is only cooked to the hard-ball stage, while nougat requires cooking to the higher temperature hard-crack stage. As a result, nougat tends to be a bit denser and even chewier than divinity.

How long does it take divinity to set up? ›

Drop mixture from buttered spoon onto waxed paper. Let stand at room temperature at least 12 hours, turning candies over once, until candies feel firm. Store in airtight container.

Why does humidity affect divinity? ›

High humidity hastens the breakdown of sugar as it cools. Once the candy has cooled to the point where it can no longer evaporate moisture, it can actually begin to reabsorb moisture. This produces a softer product than may be desirable.”

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