Chocolate Torrone 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.

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 WAFER COOKIES

Steps:

• Roast the almonds in a preheated 375 F oven for approximately 10 minutes (do not burn).
• Melt butter and marshmallows together in a large pot. Once the marshmallows have melted, add the chocolate chips and stir until melted. As soon as the chocolate mixture is melted, stir in the roasted almonds.
• Quickly spread the chocolate mixture on the wafer using a large buttered spoon. Once even, place the second wafer on top. Place something heavy on top of the wafer, and let sit for several hours to set. Cut diagonally into small cookies.

QUICK TORRONE CANDY

Steps:

• Prepare the fudge pans spraying with cooking oil.
• Lay down the wafer paper in the pans and brush with honey set aside.
• In a large glass microwaveable bowl add the chocolate and marshmallows.
• Microwave 1 minute and stir.
• Microwave another minute and stir.
• Microwave the third time and add the nuts and flavoring.
• Note: if using two flavors set half the nuts and flavoring into 2 different bowls and knead half this nougat into each bowl after the 3 minutes of microwaving and stirring.
• Push the nougat into prepared pans with your fingers to spread onto the wafer paper.
• Brush the top of the nougat with more honey and then add a second sheet of the wafer (or rice paper whatever you're using) on top and press it down.
• Let cool completely then I place this on a cutting board and cut with scissors.
• Store in an airtight container.