Torrone is one of the most popular sweets eaten in Italy for Christmas. It never fails to make its appearance on our Christmas table. It comes in many variations… it can be hard as a rock, soft and chewy, plain, covered in chocolate, flavoured with fruits, almond based, hazelnut based… you name it. I had never made it at home as it is usually easily available in the stores, but this time I needed it out of season! Besides, I really wanted to step it up a bit and try a homemade version. I found a recipe online for what looked like a very good soft torrone and it did not seem too hard to make at all. I had always thought of it as something too complicated and time consuming to make, and this was not at all the case. I was surprised about how quickly I made it and how good it was! The key is, you need a sugar thermometer (I bought a basic one for a couple of dollars) and you have to be precise when measuring the temperature and well organised so you can do everything before the temperature of your mix drops. Just follow the instructions below and you’ll have a deliciously soft, chewy (yet somewhat crunchy) torrone in no time. I then cut it in smaller pieces and dipped some in melted dark chocolate and some in melted white chocolate to make Chocolate covered torroncini to serve with coffee for my Foodbuzz 24×24 Christmas in July event!
Recipe adapted from Chef Luca Montersino
Ingredients:
533 gms mixed nuts (I used 333 gms blanched almonds, 150 gms hazelnuts, 50 gms pistachios)
240 gms + 20 gms sugar
80 gms water
20 gms glucose powder
160 gms honey
40 gms egg white
Host sheets (optional) or baking paper
Start by preparing the tray where you will put the torrone to dry. I used a 20x14cm pan and I layered it with baking paper at the bottom. I also sprayed the sides with some oil spray to make sure the torrone didn’t get stuck.
I also cut out another piece of baking paper (the same size as the one I put at the bottom), and kept it aside. The original recipe calls for host instead of baking paper, but I didn’t have any… Obviously, if you use baking paper, make sure to peel it off before eating the torrone. If you use host, then you can eat it as is and the host can be left on when coating them with chocolate.
Put the 240 gms of sugar, glucose powder and water in a pot and cook it until the syrup reaches 146°C (295°F).
Put the honey in another pot [and when the sugar syrup in the other pot reaches 118°C (245°F)] put the fire on and cook the honey until it reaches 125°C (257°F) [so that the sugar syrup and the honey reach their desired final temperature at about the same time].
In the meantime, put the egg whites and the remaining sugar in an electric mixer and whip them until stiff. Change the whisk attachment to the paddle attachment and whisk for 2 more minutes in the mixer.
Put the mixed nuts in a bowl and heat them up in the microwave for 1 or 2 minutes. They need to become hot.
When the sugar syrup and the honey are ready, pour them slowly one after the other (the order is not important) into the egg white mixture. Keep the mixer on while adding the hot syrup and honey.
When incorporated, put the hot mixed nuts in it and quickly stir with a wooden spoon.
Pour into the prepared pan. Spray a little oil on a plastic spatula and level the torrone mixture.
Place the other piece of baking paper on the top and gentily press it with a similar sized pan to make sure it is well levelled and no air bubbles form inside.
Let it dry overnight.
The following day you can cut it in pieces.
Remove the paper and eat it like that or melt some chocolate in a double boiler and dip the pieces in it.
Let them dry before serving them.
I made plain, dark chocolate and white chocolate torroncini (little torrone pieces) to serve with espresso for my Foodbuzz 24×24 Christmas in July event.
Hello,
Is there something else I can substitute for “glucose powder” since I don’t know where to get that and I’d like to make the torrone this weekend. Thank you very much. Is it the same thing as confectionery sugar or 3X sugar sold by Domino in the states?
Hi Ingrid
You should be able to find glucose powder in health stores (where they sell vitamins and supplements) or in cake supply shops. It isn’t confectionery sugar (it is a sweetener but it also helps the sugar syrup not to crystallise). You could try and substitute it with corn syrup, but I would not know how much you’d need and if you would have exactly the same result. Sorry I cannot help more! Let me know how you go though and Merry Christmas!
Definitely making this for my nougat-addicted hubby. Manu, your photos are delicious!
Can you believe I’ve never made candy?!?!? You’ve inspired me with his nougat (one of my favorite candies!)
You could easily market these and make a fortune!
Oh I love this! There is a shop nearby that sells something similar and it is delicious!
I was looking at my bookmarked nougat/torrone recipes just this morning trying to see the most managable and helpful one, i think you came in just in time as yours is by far the best! Great post and i am LOVING the look of your perfect classic nougat 🙂
Wowzer! These. Look. Amazing! Printed and in my to be done for Christmas folder! THanks for sharing!
I am not a torrone lover, but I am impressed at how perfect it looks. If I have to choose however, I go for the chewy kind.
this looks too good !
Mm, so good Manu. You are just rocking the recipes. I am loving every one of your posts.
Manu, I’ve always wanted to make torrone since I had some fab homemade ones in (funnily) Australia once. Alas, I didn’t have a candy thermometer so that was like a distant dream. Now I just bought my thermometer, and your recipe will be the first one I’ll try out, for sure! Thanks for sharing and the #FF, for always remembering me ;-).
This sounds so good and looks really pretty before coating it with the chocolate. Would make really nice Christmas gifts.
Manu: che meraviglia! Sembra strano vederlo ora visto che qui e’ estate, ma ritornero’ per la ricetta a Natale.
I am seriously impressed with you Manu. Homemade nougat!! The cross section of the plain ones are beautiful and the trio looks like such a great combination too!
Wow Manu, this looks really great! yum 🙂
Wow.. I thought for a second that its from a store 😉 Awesome.. I love the combo.. I love nuts 😀
in una sola parola:goduriosi!
Oh those look like a wonderful treat! They look so beautiful and sound so delicious 🙂
Cioe’ hai fatto il torrone… Incredibile! How do you do that? I am starting to think you have supe powers!
Amazing once again, Manuela! Who doesn’t love these nutty chocolatey treats! The way you explained the process makes these super-easy to make!! A must-make for kids’ party!
Nutty heaven! Those looks so yummy and they actually look like lovely store bought treats 🙂
Look at that luscious dipping in chocolate! I thought it looked fantastic as it was but then you had to up the ante and coat it in chocolate which is such a win 🙂
I have always been afraid of making candy, but your post here makes it look so easy. Nougat may be a smart way to go instead of fudge for a first attempt. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!
I have made Terrone many times, failing more often then not! This looks like a wonderful recipe. It’s going back on my Christmas baking list! PS, cut into small bits and fold into home-made vanilla ice cream – YUM!