Torrone (Italian Nut & Nougat Confection) – A Stirring Valentine’s Day Treat

The theme of this torrone post was originally about making this gorgeous candy for your Valentine, but then I realized what would be even better than making this for your sweetheart, would be making with your sweetheart.

While very easy, this procedure does take about one and a half hours to complete, and most of that time is spent standing at the stove, stirring, which is why tag-teaming this Italian confection makes the job much easier, and I’ll assume a lot more fun.

By the way, this is the real way to make torrone, and by “real,” I mean the really old way. Today, most candy makers use a much faster method, where a caramelized sugar syrup is simply added to the whipped egg whites. I’ve tried this both ways, and while the modern technique is way faster, I much prefer this method. It seems to have more soul, whatever that means.

Using this ancient technique, you don’t need to worry about precise timing, specific temperatures, or potentially painful burns. Besides, standing and stirring something on the stove for that long is surprisingly therapeutic. Watching the ingredients slowly, and magically change, as your home fills with the sweet aroma of warm honey, is almost as enjoyable as the amazing candy you end up with. Almost.

The visual clues, and times I give in the video should be enough, but don’t forget the cold water trick I showed you. That’s a great way to check you work, and sneak a taste. I hope you give this a try very soon. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from this one by, Enzo Maragucci. 
Makes about 80 (1-inch) square pieces:

400 g honey (about 1 1/3 cups)

250 g white sugar (about 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons)

2 large egg whites

pinch salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 rounded tablespoon lemon zest

3 cups roasted almonds (I used Marcona almonds)

1 cup roasted pistachio

2 sheets “wafer” paper (*edible rice paper)

*Follow this link for info on the one I ordered. 
If you don't use the wafer paper, you can just spray plastic wrap with oil, and that also works. Some people use cornstarch, but I'm not a fan. Google for many other tricks.  

- I used an 8 x 11 baking dish to mold mine in.

Toffee Crunch Candy

This is a favorite recipe from childhood that I was reminded of the other day. I mostly make it around Christmas time as a seasonal treat at our house. I sometimes crush it and serve it as a garnish for chocolate glazed cupcakes or add small chunks to a chocolate biscuit cake. We like to dunk it in plain melted chocolate for a homemade version of one of my favorite candy bars too.

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 tbsp baking soda

You will need to make this in a large pot because the foaming action of the baking soda needs plenty of room. I use a 4 quart dutch oven. Remember that this is candy making and high temperatures are required so exercise caution. The hot candy mixture can burn your skin very quickly if you come into contact with it, so it's best to do this one with the kids well clear of the kitchen.

Prepare a 13x9 inch baking dish by lining it with lightly greased aluminum foil. Alternatively a baking sheet with a silicone liner can also be used to pour the hot candy onto.

Bring the sugar, corn syrup and water to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil without stirring until the mixture reaches 300 degrees F (hard crack stage) on a candy thermometer. Do NOT leave this mixture as it boils because it can burn very, very quickly when it reaches the proper temperature. If you do not have a candy thermometer, drop a teaspoon of the mixture into ice water to test it. If the mix hardens immediately to a brittle glass like, hard candy consistently it is ready to add the baking soda.

Remove the pot form the heat and working at hands length for safety ( a lot of hot steam will rise from the pot when the soda is added) quickly whisk in the baking soda and immediately pour it into the prepared pan.

Let it cool completely before breaking or cutting into individual pieces and serving. This candy is very susceptible to humidity, so as soon as it cools completely, store it in an airtight container or Ziploc bags to preserve it's crunchy, melt-in-you-mouth texture.