One of my close friends, upon tasting Muhammara (a Lebanese spread) for the first time, proclaimed… “this, this is what I’ve been missing my whole life!” That’s exactly how I felt when I tasted Italian Torrone for the first time. I was given a gift of a log or bar (however you want to call it) of torrone candy right before Halloween and I just couldn’t get over it, still can’t. This is absolutely the best candy I’ve tasted and I’m just so glad to have discovered it.
Once I tasted it, I knew I wanted to try and make this at home for some holiday gifts. So, my friend Annalise, who is way more of a pro than me, came and we stirred and stirred until our beautiful white torrone was ready. Once it set, I sliced the bars then wrapped them in parchment, using my friend Ana’s cute packaging for the perfect finishing touches.
Torrone is a all natural nougat candy. One of the best things about it is the simplicity and purity of the ingredients, no processed additions just honey, egg whites, and nuts. The torrone I first tasted comes form a company out of New York, Torrone.co. They are putting their spin on the Italian treat. I based my recipe on their ingredient list but decided to go for a more traditional Italian style torrone and forgo adding any sugar so this recipe is short and sweet – honey, egg whites, and nuts. Plus a little salt and vanilla but you can skip that too if you’d like. All you really need is those three ingredients and some time over the stove to stir.
How did my homemade version line up with the torrone I first tasted?! Mine was thinner, slightly harder and a little less sweet. I definitely won’t stop buying the real deal from Torrone but it was also a lot of fun to make it at home and we enjoyed every little bite that didn’t make it into our gifts. Torrone makes a perfect edible gift whether you spend the time to make this at home or if you buy some online.
Torrone is best made with good company in the kitchen. Alternatively, good music, or just some quiet brainless time of stirring is also a good pairing for the job!
Here are some packaging ideas for edible gifts from my friend Ana over at Welovecitrus:
•parchments paper and brown craft boxes make for a great blank canvas to start you packaging
•use colorful string or tape and small thoughtful labels
•small trees and pinecones are a fun added touch, also tiny herbs or greenery can go a long way
•use thin wire or small clothes pins to attach labels
check out welovecitrus on instagram for more packaging ideas
A traditional recipe for homemade Italian torrone, great for the holiday treats or gifts.
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 bars or logs of torrone
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound of honey, use a high grade Italian honey for best results
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/2 pound of nuts, I use a mixture of almonds, hazelnuts, and pistachios
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, I used a white vanilla extract for this
Instructions
Cover a loaf pan or small square baking dish (8 inch by 8 inch) with parchment paper. Have another sheet of parchment paper ready to cover the top of the torrone once its done cooking.
Place the nuts on a single layer in a baking tray and toast in oven at 350º F, about 8 minutes or until shiny and fragrant. Set aside.
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, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
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-coloured cream. Keep cooking, stirring slowly but continuously over gentle heat for 45 minutes (It's best to just set a timer for this). The mixture should thicken and become pale. A small test should determine that your torrone is at a good stage – a drop of the mixture in a glass of water should solidify into a soft ball, not dissolve immediately.
Add the nuts, salt and vanilla to the mixture and continue cooking and stirring for 30 minutes(set the timer again so you make sure to cook for the full 30 minutes). Pour into your prepared baking dish. Top with additional parchment and smooth it down, pressing the torrone gently with your hands.
Place in a cool place to set for a couple of hours. When set, cut the torrone into thick slices with a sharp, heavy knife. Wrap in parchment tie with string or tape for the perfect homemade holiday gift. Keeps very well wrapped in parchment and stored somewhere cool.
To purchase Torrone go to Torrone.co
For cute packaging sets including tags and twine go to welovecitrus
Posted in
, Baking Confections, Dessert, Gluten Free, Paleo, Unprocessed, Vegan, Vegetarian
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FAQs
The difference in making hard and soft torrone is in the cooking time and the amount of egg whites used hard torrone is cooked up to ten hours whereas soft torrone is cooked for no more than three hours.
Is the paper on torrone edible? ›
Cover the top surface of the candy with a single piece of edible wafer paper, trimmed to fit the pan.
Does torrone need to be refrigerated? ›
How should torrone be stored? To preserve its quality, it is advisable to store torrone in a cool and dry location. If you plan to keep it for an extended period of time, you may opt to freeze hard torrone.
What is torrone made of? ›
Torrone is a nougat confection usually served at Christmas time, primarily made of honey, beaten egg whites, almonds, wafers, hazelnuts and vanilla. Torrone may be commercially made or prepared at home: the most famous are those from Cremona, Alba, Siena and Benevento.
How do you make nougat harder? ›
“If you prefer the nougat to be a little bit firmer and you want to cut it into squares … heat it up a little bit more with a hairdryer.” Move the hairdryer around the bowl of the stand mixer continuously, so it doesn't burn.
What is the difference between nougat and torrone? ›
Italy's version of nougat is called the torrone. Torrone is a form of white nougat that is very similar to soft nougat in many ways yet there are some differences. One difference between French nougat and torrone is that torrone is finished off with white icing on top after it has been made.
Does torrone go bad? ›
If we keep the turrón in a cool, dry and odour-free place, it can be kept in good condition for up to 1 year. It should be remembered that turrón is mainly toasted almonds, honey and sugar.
What holiday do Italians eat torrone for? ›
On Christmas, staunch panettone fanatics and ardent pandoro supporters bond over their mutual fondness for torrone (nougat). Different parts of the country lay claim to dozens of torrone variations, a common thread among regional Italian cuisines.
What is the difference between turrón and nougat? ›
Turron is a traditional Spanish desset made with almonds, honey, sugar, and egg whites. It is similar to nougat, but typically firmer and more brittle. Turron comes in various types, such as hard and crunchy or soft and chewy, and can be flavored with other ingredients such as chocolate, fruits, and spices.
How do you eat torrone? ›
Today, many varieties exist: soft and hard, classic or with chocolate, with almonds, hazelnuts or occasionally pistachios. Torrone is often served with an after-dinner amaro (bitters), a sambuca (a sweet anise-tasting digestivo), or a liquor, such as Strega.
Caramel and nougats last six months to a year at room temperature and away from heat and light, while candy corn can make it as far as nine months if kept sealed. (So that open bag you used to top your Halloween cupcakes should probably get tossed around January.)
Can you freeze torrone candy? ›
Torrone candy can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. It's important that the container is airtight as moisture can compromise the texture of the candy. You can also freeze the candy in an airtight container for up to two months. Just let it thaw before serving.
What does torrone mean in Italian? ›
Translation of torrone – Italian–English dictionary
nougat [noun] a sticky kind of sweet containing nuts etc.
Which country eats turrón? ›
Turrón or torró has been known at least since the 15th century in the city of Jijona/Xixona (formerly Sexona), north of Alicante. Turrón is commonly consumed in most of Spain, some countries of Latin America, and in Roussillon (France). The similar torrone is typical of Sicily, Cremona and Benevento, in Italy.
Is torrone Italian or Spanish? ›
But what is turrón, you may ask? You might have heard of the Italian version torrone, maybe even tasted it. Turrón is arguably the most Spanish of all the Spanish Christmas treats. Closely translated to nougat in English, it's a confection made of honey and almonds, and usually egg whites as emulsifiers.
Why does nougat get hard? ›
If your candy comes out harder or softer than you'd like, try adjusting the syrup temperature the next time. Weather also plays a part in the outcome of nougat. Nougat is best made on a cool, dry day, as humidity can noticeably affect the texture of the nougat and its shelf life.
What is the texture of torrone? ›
Its texture can vary from duro – crunchy and hard – to morbido – soft and chewy. Sometimes it is covered in chocolate or flavored with spices, too.
Why is my torrone too soft? ›
Did your sugar syrup crystallize or caramelize? START OVER. If you proceed to make the torrone with the crystalized or caramelized syrup it will be too soft, too sticky or crunchy in an unpleasant way.
What is the difference between hard and soft nougat? ›
There are two standard varieties of nougat and many variations in between: soft nougat (tendre), which is chewy but substantial, and hard nougat (dur), which is initially crunchy but dissolves grudgingly as you chew.
