Divinity

SUNDAY DESSERT #53: Divinity

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: America 🇺🇸

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Intermediate (unless you rock at making candy in which case this would be easy).

INSPIRATION: I wanted to make this for Christmas, but we had way too many other dessert-type goodies to finish. So hooray for post-holiday candy!

RECEPTION/COMMENTARY: This popular southern candy is usually eaten at Christmastime. The most common variety is made with chopped walnuts but it can be made with any flavor combination and mix-ins you prefer! I made two varieties; a plain vanilla base and an amaretto-cherry.

If you are really good at candy-making, this would probably be an easy recipe for you. I am NOT anywhere near an experienced candy chef so this was on the intermediate skill side for me. I had to make three, THREE, different batches of this in order to get it right! The first attempt, I got distracted by my cute baby and accidentally over mixed the sugar syrup with the egg whites. The result was a crumbly mess that wouldn't hold a shape. The second attempt, I used a larger sized pot than I should have so that the sugar syrup was distributed in a very thin layer. This resulted in a false temperature reading on my candy thermometer (way too hot, like, in the hard ball stage) and turned the egg whites rock hard and kind of burnt-looking when it got mixed in. So after a mini tantrum with a few choice words, I let the sugared cement in my mixing bowl soak in hot water for a bit so I could finally clean it. And the third attempt, with some intense diligence and a miracle, turned into the divinity we all know and love. Well, actually, I had to do a few "test" blobs to see if they would hold their shape (as seen in the picture). A few mixes later and voilà!! Divine "cloud candy", as my daughter calls it. Rated an 8/10. And the test blobs that flattened out were yummy too! They reminded me of the nougat filling in Charleston Chews or Payday candy bars. I wasn't upset about it. 😊

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? Um.... maybe in another year? My frustration levels are too high right now to consider making it again anytime soon. But it's good enough to try again for sure....down the road....in the distant future.