Torrone
I love torrone, the marshmallow nougat candy filled with almonds, pistachios, and dried apricots. A traditional torrone is from Italy, but as Americans tend to do, we make it our own, and in the process, change everything about it.
In my childhood, I remember a version of a torrone that was from Brachs Candy Company. Their Torrone was part of their mix n match candy that was in most grocery stores.
The shopper would fill a provided bag with candy and have it weighed in the deli. The sweets were individually wrapped and included other confections such as butterscotch, peppermints, root beer barrels, and their nougat.
The nougat was the last to be eaten from the candy dish. If I were looking for something sweet, and the only candy left was the nougat, I would pick ut the nuts and fruit and eat the marshmallow part.
Now that I am older, I love the addition of salty almonds and pistachios. The apricots add a beautiful color and a mild citrus sweetness.
I love making Torrone; it is satisfying to cut into it and reveal all the fruit and nuts’ colors.
Give this recipe a go. You will love it, and try not to pick out the nuts and fruit; that’s the best part.
Torrone
Torrone, a classic Italian nougat, it is easy to make. This traditional recipe is sweetened with honey, orange, and almond flavors, and packed with toasted almonds, and pistachios.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound honey
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups nuts, a mixture of almonds, and pistachios
- 1/2 cup apricots, dried, chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
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Cover a loaf pan or small square baking dish (8 inches by 8 inches) with parchment paper. Have another sheet of parchment paper ready to cover the top of the Torrone once it's done cooking.
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Toast nuts in a 350 F for about 8 minutes or until shiny and fragrant. Set aside.
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Place honey in a double boiler or large bowl over a saucepan of water (bain-marie) on the lowest heat. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water. Heat honey until it melts, occasionally stirring with a wooden spoon
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In the meantime, whisk egg whites to stiff peaks in a separate bowl. Add the whites to the bowl of honey, stirring with the wooden spoon to incorporate. It should turn into a caramel-colored cream.
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Keep cooking, stirring slowly but continuously over a gentle heat for 45 minutes. The mixture should thicken and become pale. A small test should determine that your Torrone is at the right stage – a drop of the mixture in a glass of water should solidify into a softball, not dissolve immediately
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Add the nuts, apricots, salt, and vanilla to the mixture and continue cooking and stirring for 30 minutes.
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Pour into prepared baking dish. Top with additional parchment and smooth it down, pressing the torrone gently with your hands.
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Place in a cool place to set for a couple of hours.
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When set, cut the torrone into thick slices with a sharp, heavy knife.