Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Torrone (Nougat)
A classic Italian Christmas confection. A chewy or hard nougat made from whipped egg whites, boiling honey and sugar syrup, and heavily packed with toasted almonds and hazelnuts.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 200 min
- Servings
- 24
- Difficulty
- hard
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 24 servings
- egg whites
- honey (high quality, like acacia or orange blossom)
- granulated sugar
- water
- whole almonds (toasted)
- whole hazelnuts (toasted)
- vanilla bean
- edible wafer paper (ostia)
Equipment
- Candy thermometer
- Stand mixer
- Square baking pan
Instructions
- 1
Prepare Pan
Line a baking pan completely with edible wafer paper (ostia). Keep the toasted nuts warm in a low oven.
- 2
Whip Whites
In a stand mixer, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks.
- 3
Boil Honey
In one saucepan, slowly boil the honey until it reaches 250°F (121°C).
- 4
Boil Sugar
In another saucepan, boil the sugar and water until it reaches the hard-crack stage, 295°F (146°C).
- 5
Add Honey to Whites
With the mixer running, slowly pour the hot honey into the egg whites. The mixture will expand and become glossy.
- 6
Add Sugar Syrup
Immediately and carefully pour the hotter sugar syrup into the spinning mixer. Beat for several minutes until the mixture begins to cool, thicken, and lose its gloss.
- 7
Fold in Nuts
Remove the bowl from the mixer. Working very quickly before it sets, use a sturdy wooden spoon to fold in the warm toasted nuts and vanilla.
- 8
Press into Pan
Scrape the sticky mass into the prepared pan. Press it out flat using oiled hands or a rolling pin.
- 9
Top Layer
Cover the top with another layer of wafer paper. Press down firmly to compact the torrone.
- 10
Cool and Cut
Let it cool completely at room temperature for several hours. Cut into small rectangles using a heavy, sharp knife.
Cooking Tips
- Timing and temperature are critical. If the syrups aren't hot enough, the torrone will be a sticky puddle. If too hot, it will be unchewable rock.
- Keeping the nuts warm prevents them from instantly seizing the hot sugar mixture when folded in.
Variations
- Torrone Morbido vs. Duro: Morbido (soft) is cooked to a lower temperature; Duro (hard) is cooked to a higher temperature.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- The city of Cremona is famous for its Torrone, traditionally made for a royal wedding in 1441.
Nutrition Estimate
150 calories · 3g protein · 20g carbs · 8g fat · 1g fiber per serving
