What is Torrone candy?
A sweet confection flavored with nuts—enclosed between two wafers: this is the torrone, a typical Christmas delicacy (with origins still unknown). This special recipe undoubtedly did appear, however, in Cremona on October 25, 1441 for the wedding of the Duke of Milan, Francesca Sforza and his bride, Bianca Maria Visconti. Tradition has it that this nougat recipe was eaten particularly on feast days as a dessert of another dessert—served after other traditional sweets. A torrone is produced in many regions of Italy: the most famous nougats, however, are those from Cremona, Alba, Siena and Benevento; honorable mentions are the Sicilian and Sardinian nougats (that are more ivory in color than the usual shade of white).
How to made Torrone
Preparing this dessert at home is quite simple; it only takes time and precision using instruments like a thermometer (to check the temperature of the honey and sugar—which must not exceed a certain heat level… otherwise, it will fail.) Here’s our recipe! Good luck!
Torrone Recipe
Ingredients:
5 oz. hazelnuts, 5 oz. almonds, 5 oz. walnuts, 5 oz. water, 9 oz. sugar, 5 oz. honey, 2 egg whites, 1 vanilla pod, pastry wafers
Method:
First, toast the nuts on a baking tray for 10 minutes at 300°F. In a saucepan, add the sugar and water. Stir before putting on the heat. Heat the sugar syrup to 286°F. In another saucepan, mix honey with vanilla and heat until the honey has reached 250°F.
Torrone, the classic Italian nougat, is easy to make at home. This traditional recipe is scented with honey, orange, and almond flavors, and packed with toasted almonds
Once temperature is reached, turn off heat. Whip egg whites with an electric whisk and pour heated honey and sugar over egg whites. Mix well with a wooden spoon and add the nuts. Mix well, stirring constantly. Line a plum-cake mold with baking parchment and lay out wafers cut to size on the bottom of cake mold. Pour the mixture on top of the first wafer layer and cover with more wafers—for a thickness of slightly more than 1/2 inch. Place mold in the fridge to cool overnight or for at least ten hours.
Tips:
If you don't use the pastry wafers (wafer paper, rice paper ), you can spray the plastic wrap with vegetable oil.