Southern Divinity

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Stand mixer with whisk attachment
• •Heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan
• •Candy thermometer
• •Parchment or wax paper
• •Two tablespoons for dropping

Instructions

1. 1

   Check your conditions

   Before you do anything else, step outside and feel the air. Divinity will not set in humid weather. If it rained last night, if the air feels thick and heavy, save this project for another day. You need humidity below fifty percent. I learned this the hard way one August when I tried to make a batch for a summer party. Ended up with sweet, sticky soup. The candy gods do not negotiate with humidity.

   A cool, dry winter day is perfect. That's why divinity became Christmas candy in the first place.
2. 2

   Prepare your workspace

   Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or wax paper. Set your toasted pecans within arm's reach. Have two spoons ready for dropping. Once this candy is ready, you work fast. There's no stopping to hunt for equipment. Measure everything before you turn on the stove. Candy waits for no one.

3. 3

   Cook the sugar syrup

   Combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt in a heavy-bottomed three-quart saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves completely. You should not feel any grains when you rub a drop between your fingers. Once dissolved, stop stirring. Clip your candy thermometer to the side, making sure it does not touch the bottom of the pan, and let the syrup cook undisturbed.

   Stirring after the sugar dissolves can cause crystallization, which ruins the smooth texture. Let it be.
4. 4

   Monitor the temperature

   The syrup will bubble and climb toward the hard ball stage. You are aiming for 260 degrees Fahrenheit. This takes twelve to fifteen minutes. Watch the thermometer, but also watch the bubbles. They will get smaller and tighter as water evaporates. The syrup will thicken visibly. When you are about ten degrees away from target, start beating your egg whites.

5. 5

   Beat the egg whites

   In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. When you lift the whisk, the whites should stand straight up with just a slight curl at the tip. They should look glossy and smooth, not dry or grainy. This takes three to four minutes with a stand mixer.

6. 6

   Combine syrup and whites

   The moment your syrup hits 260 degrees, remove it from heat. With the mixer running on medium speed, pour the hot syrup in a thin, steady stream down the inside edge of the bowl. Do not let it hit the whisk directly, or it will splatter and spin sugar threads all over your kitchen. Pour slowly and steadily. This takes about two minutes.

   That syrup is over 250 degrees. Respect it. Sugar burns are serious. Keep your face back and pour carefully.
7. 7

   Beat until ready

   Continue beating on high speed for seven to twelve minutes. The mixture will transform from glossy and pourable to matte and thick. You are looking for it to lose its shine, hold its shape when dropped from a spoon, and feel slightly warm rather than hot. Add the vanilla during the last minute of beating. If the divinity is still glossy after twelve minutes, keep beating. Patience wins here.

8. 8

   Test for doneness

   Drop a small spoonful onto your prepared parchment. It should hold its shape with soft peaks, not spread into a puddle. If it flattens, beat another two minutes and test again. The timing varies based on your mixer's power, the day's humidity, and how the spirits feel. Trust your eyes more than the clock.

9. 9

   Add pecans and drop

   Working quickly, fold in the toasted pecans with a spatula. Use two spoons to drop rounded tablespoons onto your prepared sheets, pushing the candy off one spoon with the other. Work fast because the divinity sets as it cools. If it gets too stiff in the bowl, you can try adding a few drops of hot water, but you are racing the clock. Each piece should look like a fluffy cloud with pecans peeking through.

10. 10

    Let set completely

    Leave the divinity undisturbed for at least two hours until completely set. It should feel dry to the touch and lift cleanly from the paper. The texture should be tender and slightly chewy, never sticky or gooey. If it stays tacky after several hours, the humidity got you. At Lagniappe, we store finished divinity in airtight tins between layers of wax paper. It keeps for two weeks at room temperature.

Chef Tips

• •Humidity is your enemy. Check the weather forecast before you start. Anything above fifty percent relative humidity, and you are fighting a losing battle. A dry winter day with the heat running inside is ideal.
• •A candy thermometer is not optional for this recipe. The difference between 255 and 265 degrees changes everything about the final texture. Invest in a good one and test its accuracy in boiling water before you begin.
• •Toast your pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for four to five minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. This extra step deepens their flavor and adds another layer of complexity to the candy.
• •If the divinity sets up too fast in the bowl before you finish dropping, place the bowl over a pot of hot water for thirty seconds to soften it slightly. Work quickly after that.
• •Store finished divinity in an airtight container at room temperature, never in the refrigerator. The moisture from the fridge will make it weep and turn sticky.

Advance Preparation

• •Divinity must be made and dropped the same day. It cannot be held as a batter or mixture.
• •Finished divinity keeps in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to two weeks. Layer pieces between wax paper to prevent sticking.
• •Pecans can be toasted up to three days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 19g)