Divine Intervention

Posted on

by Hannah (BitterSweet)
Jump to Recipe

Said to taste so heavenly that one bite could make the angels sing, divinity is an ethereal confection that looks the part, too. Fluffy billowing masses with crisp exteriors, it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if the entire platter were to float away. Somewhat of a cross between nougat, marshmallows, and meringue, it’s a specialty of the south, strongly associated with the holiday season. Divinity is a snow-white treat that always tastes like a celebration.

Recreate the magic of Christmas in July, if only for one brief, sweet moment. This past winter was one of solitary, subdued merriment, which makes the time ripe for an early revival. Gather up your friends and family, build sandcastles rather than snowmen and ride surfboards rather than sleds, and always bring along a sweet gift that comes straight from the heart.

Divinity is incredibly versatile, ideal for dressing up or down according to your whims. Try adding peppermint or almond extract, swapping the pecans for walnuts, pistachios, or coconut flakes, and let out your inner artist to decorate with any sort of sprinkles or edible glitter as your culinary paint. The candy does begin to set very quickly, so for your first attempt, it may be easier to simply spread the whole batch out flat on a sheet pan and slice it into squares.

Deck the halls with flip flops and crank the AC; there’s never been a better time to embrace the holiday spirit!

Yield: Makes 18 - 20 Pieces

Maple-Pecan Divinity

Maple-Pecan Divinity

Recreate the magic of Christmas anytime with vegan divinity! These sweet, fluffy confectionery clouds are easily whipped up using aquafaba.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 Cups Granulated Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
  • 1/8 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 Cup Reduced Aquafaba*
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 Cup Toasted Pecans, Chopped
  • Whole, Toasted Pecans, As Needed for Garnish

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, maple syrup, and salt.
  2. Bring to a boil and continue to cook, without stirring, until it reaches the hard ball stage (260 degrees on a candy thermometer.)
  3. Meanwhile, place the aquafaba in the bowl of your stand mixer and beat with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form; about 8 - 10 minutes.
  4. When the syrup reaches 260 degrees, very gradually pour the hot syrup to the aquafaba while beating on high speed. Try to aim for the center of the bowl, rather than the beater or the sides. Immediately follow with the vanilla extract and continue to mix until the candy begins to stiffen and hold its shape; 4-5 minutes.
  5. Quickly fold in the chopped pecans by hand. Once incorporated, drop dollops of the mixture using two spoons or a small ice cream scoop onto a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Top each one with a whole pecan, pressing down firmly to adhere. Let cool completely before enjoying.
  6. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 - 3 days. They're best when freshly made, as they continue to soften and get stickier over time.

Notes

*To make reduced aquafaba, start with 1/3 cup of aquafaba and simmer over low heat on the stove until the volume is reduced to 1/4 cup. Cool completely before using.

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

20

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 69Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 13mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 0gSugar: 15gProtein: 0g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: American / Category: Candy

12 thoughts on “Divine Intervention”

    1. Oh you’re in for a real treat! I have a feeling you’d like it, since it’s such a universally beloved sweet.

  2. It looks delicious but sounds too sweet for me, although my husband would love it! Completely off-topic, but are you getting rain? We’re finally getting a good amount for which I’m very, very thankful. It’s what’s called monsoon season here but last year there was virtually no rain during any time so it’s even more welcome than usual. Of course everyone has to be careful of flash flooding, but we need this so badly.

    1. Oh yes, I’m not accustomed to so much rain! We got a ton of nonstop rain earlier, but now it’s a bit more sporadic. It seems like everyday there’s some random downpour for about 15 minutes, and then it clears up again. I don’t mind this pattern at all, it saves me the trouble of watering the plants. :)

      1. I think all the cacti here are strained to their limit with water, all fat and happy. Our flowering bushes are flowering again. Just have to beware of flash floods in many places. I’m happy to not water also.

  5. Mine turned out to crumbly. And where it said to next for 4 to 5 minutes I should have stopped at 1 minute.My husband kept saying we left out an ingredient that would make it more gooey like but I told him we didn’t. Everything was there. If I had stopped mixing it with one minute it would have been more nougat like unless crumbly crumbs. In fact I stopped mixing it cuz it was ruined and I looked at my timer and I had 2 minutes and 40 seconds left of that 5 minutes. Has anyone else made this recipe? What have I done wrong?

    1. I’m so sorry this recipe gave you trouble, Linda! This one is particularly sensitive to minute changes in atmosphere, so it’s possible that could be a factor. Also, aquafaba does vary a bit between brands, which is likely the greatest issue here. You were right to trust your instincts and stop whipping early. Additionally, did you check your oven temperature with a separate thermometer inside? Digital read-outs are notoriously inaccurate, and it sounds like it might have been running hot.

Leave a Reply