Mom's Easy No-Cook Divinity Recipe

My Mom's favorite candies were divinity or pecan logs.  She only bought already made pecan logs or got them as a surprise from Dad or later a grown child who found them somewhere, usually a roadside souvenir shop.  However, she looked for a long time to find an easy divinity recipe that she could make herself and would set properly in the Texas humidity.  Below is a no-cook recipe that she made with either pecans (which she could get from my grandparents tree) or her favorite of walnuts when Dad bought them.   

Wondering why it is called divinity?  Legend says the first person to taste it called it "divine" and thus the name.  Since it was mainly made with pecans, it is also referred to as "Southern Candy"- who knew? Believe it or not, northerners liked the recipe too, although they sometimes substitute chopped dried fruit for the nuts!

You can make the recipe with other nuts besides the ones she used, if desired.  You can also use various flavors of frosting (if you can find boxes other than white/vanilla), but then you would get a different flavor (some fruity-flavors are yucky but chocolate is good) and color than traditional divinity.  Also, you can leave the nuts out of the mix and then push a pecan half into the top of drops before they set to get a flatter candy  with a thumbprint cookie look instead of a fluffy version.  If you prefer to make fudge quickly or want to bake a small white cookie that is almost like candy, check out Russian Tea Cakes/Wedding Cookies. 

Easy No- Cook Divinity

Makes 5-6 Dozen Candies

Ingredients:

1 box white frosting (dry) mix

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup boiling water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 pound confectioner's (powdered) sugar

1 cup chopped nuts

Steps:

1. In a small bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients.  Beat at high speed until stiff peaks form (about 5 minutes).
2. Transfer to a large bowl.  On low speed, blend in sugar gradually.
3. Hand stir in nuts.
4. Drop mixture by a teaspoon-full onto wax paper.
5. When the outside of candy feels firm - turn over.
6. Allow to dry overnight.
7. Store candy in airtight containers.