Torrones A Christmas Time Nougat Candy Recipes

TORRONE (ITALIAN NUT AND NOUGAT CONFECTION)

Steps:

• Line an 8x11-inch baking dish with plastic wrap, allowing ends to hang over the sides. Place 1 sheet of 8x10 wafer paper in the bottom of the pan. Keep the roasted almonds and pistachios in a warm place until ready to add at the end. This makes it easier to mix them in.
• Pour honey into a heavy-bottomed pot. Add sugar. Mix and stir over low heat with a spatula, stirring constantly until mixture turns from grainy to silky and smooth, about 30 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
• Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl; add a pinch of salt. Whisk until whites form soft peaks, 3 to 4 minutes. Place pot back on low heat. Gradually whisk about a quarter of the whipped egg whites into the honey/sugar mixture; whisk in the remaining egg whites in 3 more batches.
• Continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula until mixture turns a brighter white and a ribbon of the mixture does not immediately incorporate back into the rest of the mixture and stays intact on the surface for a while. This will take about 40 minutes. You can add a few drops of the mixture into a small bowl of ice cold water to test the consistency; ideally it should feel like soft clay.
• Whisk in vanilla and lemon zest. Add warm almonds and pistachios and stir to incorporate evenly.
• Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Even out as best you can with a clean oiled spatula. Top with 2nd sheet of wafer paper, shiny side up. Cover with plastic wrap and press down evenly, tamping mixture down gently but firmly. Remove top layer of plastic.
• Allow torrone to sit at room temperature until cool, firm, and ready to cut, 1 or 2 hours. Lift torrone from baking dish with the edges of the bottom layer of plastic wrap. Invert and remove plastic from the bottom. If the plastic wrap is difficult to remove from the edges of the torrone, you can trim off the edges.
• Cut torrone into 1-inch squares using a sharp serrated knife.

HOMEMADE TORRONE ITALIAN NUT NOUGAT

Steps:

• Prepare a 9" square baking dish (or similar size) by lining it with plastic wrap, ensuring the bottom and sides are fully covered. Cut both sheets of wafer paper to fit the size of your baking dish. Place one sheet of the wafer paper into the bottom of the dish, set the other piece aside for later.
• Take the room temperature egg whites and beat them with a dash of salt in a stand mixer until you achieve soft peaks. Keep them in the stand mixer for later.
• Take a medium to large sized heavy-bottomed pot, and add your honey and sugar in. Stir this mixture on medium heat until it has reached 300 degrees F.
• Once your sugar mixture has reached 300 degrees, remove from heat and immediately bring it over to the stand mixer. With the mixer on medium high stream in about 3 Tablespoons of the hot sugar mixture, let it fully combine with the egg whites and whip for a few moments before slowly streaming in the remaining sugar mixture.
• Add in the lemon zest and vanilla extract. Pay close attention to how thick the mixture is getting as it cools, continue to whip it until the sides of the bowl are cool enough to keep your hand on it for 10 seconds, when this happens add in the nuts and give it one good mix to combine then shut it off. However, if the mixture is getting too thick before the bowl is cool enough to keep your hand on it, add the nuts in and stop mixing at any point.
• Working quickly, pour the mixture into your prepared baking dish, on top of the wafer paper. Gently spread as evenly as possible. You can use a lightly greased spatula to spread the nougat if needed.
• Top the nougat with the second wafer paper sheet. Gently press everything down tightly and flat, trying to get as flat and level of a top as you can - you can use the bottom of a cup or ramekin to help smooth it out if needed.
• Let cool at room temperature.
• When ready, carefully turn the torrone out onto a cutting board. Remove the plastic wrap and use a long serrated knife to cut the torrone into desired sizes.

TORRONES - A CHRISTMAS TIME NOUGAT CANDY

Steps:

• Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat until candy thermometer registers at 260°F.
• In an electric mixer, beat egg whites to form stiff peaks.
• When sugar reaches 260°F pour slowly in a thin stream into egg whites, while mixer is running.
• Add extracts and beat on medium speed for 13 minutes; then fold in candied fruit, if using, and mix for another 2 minutes.
• Now fold in 1/2 cup sliced almonds.
• Pour mixture in buttered and lightly dusted floured 9" pan.
• Top with remaining almonds.
• Let sit overnight and then cut into pieces.
• Serve on a "festive" decorated plate.

CHOCOLATE TORRONE

Steps:

• *Note:Ostia wafers are very thin sheet-like pieces of unleavened wheat bread.
• Ostia may be found in some Italian deli's, Italian import stores, or candy making supply shops.
• Line two or three 6 x 8-inch loaf pans with wafer, and set aside.
• Place honey on top of a double boiler over boiling water.
• Stir constantly, until honey caramelizes (approx 45 min to 1 hr).
• In a small saucepan, combine 2 Tablespoons water and 1 cup sugar, let mixture boil slowly until caramelized.
• Beat egg whites until stiff.
• Add stiff egg whites to honey a little at a time, mixing well.
• Add caramelized sugar mixture, and mix well.
• Combine cocoa, 2 Tablespoons water and 1 Tablespoon sugar in a small saucepan, and cook until the mixture is creamy.
• Add the cocoa mixture and nuts to the egg white mixture, mixing well.
• Pour the torrone mixture into wafer lined pans (about 2 inches deep).
• Top mixture with another piece of wafer (cut to fit), lightly pressing it onto the surface, making sure there are no air bubbles under the wafer.
• Allow to cool.
• When cool, remove from pans (If using waxed paper under the wafer of the torrone, peel off the waxed paper before slicing).
• Cut each pan into 2 long rectangular pieces.
• Wrap each piece tightly in waxed paper for storage.
• To serve, cut each rectangular piece into 1/4-inch slices.
• Note: The longer torrone is stored, the harder/firmer it gets.

TORRONE

Steps:

• Pour honey into a large double boiler and cook for 1-1/2 hours, stirring.
• constantly with a clean wooden spoon. (300degF on candy thermometer).
• Toast almonds and hazelnuts in oven until golden brown. Just before honey is ready (when it becomes hard and brittle if dropped from a teaspoon into cold water), put sugar into a small pan with 1/2 cup water and cook until slightly bluish (300degF).
• Beat egg whites to stiff peaks and add to honey. Mix well for 5-6 minutes. Add diluted sugar.
• Mix again for another 5 minutes. Add almonds, hazelnuts and grated lemon rind.
• Mix well and pour into wafer paper lined 8"x8" square non-stick pan. Spread the torrone with an offset spatula coated with non-stick spray and place 2nd sheet on wafer paper - pressing firmly to the top of the candy.
• I covered the pan with plastic wrap and placed into the freezer for faster firming. You can let it sit out on the counter for an hour or overnight as well.
• Invert the candy onto a cutting board. You may need to use the offset spatula to help loosen. Use an ELECTRIC KNIFE to cut the torrone into small squares.
• To store the torrone wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature or in the freezer.