Turrones 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.

TORRONE

Steps:

• Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until a candy thermometer temperature registers 260 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, in an electric mixer, beat egg whites to form stiff peaks. When sugar reaches 260 degrees F, slowly pour in a thin stream into egg whites, while the mixer is running. Add extracts, beat on medium speed for 13 minutes, then fold the candied fruit into the mixture. Mix for another 2 minutes, then fold in 1/2 cup of the almonds. Pour mixture into 9-inch square cake pan sprayed with baking spray or butter the pan and then dust with flour. Top with remaining almonds and additional candied fruit.
• Let sit overnight, then cut into serving pieces.

TURRONES

Steps:

• Blanch the almonds and remove the skins.
• Toast the almonds with hazlenuts in an open oven, about 350°F.
• Stir constantly.
• Chop the nuts real fine.
• Beat the egg whites until they are very stiff.
• Add to nuts.
• In a sauce pan, mixc the honey and sugar and melt over med-high heat.
• Add the nut paste, mix & stir constantly for ten minutes and remove from heat.
• Put in shallow china dishes lined with rice paper.
• When cold, sprinkle cinnamon on top.
• Cut into small pieces when set.

TURRON JIJONA (SPANISH-STYLE NOUGAT CANDY)

Steps:

• Pour the honey into a saucepan and warm over medium-low heat to 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Stir the almonds into the warm honey and remove from heat. Mix the egg yolks, cinnamon, and lemon zest into the almonds. Fold the egg whites into the mixture.
• Line a dish with parchment paper. Pour the mixture onto the parchment paper and smooth to a 1/2-inch layer. Place a sheet of parchment paper atop the mixture and then place a cutting board over the paper; place a few items on top of the cutting board to give it some weight.
• Allow the turron to dry for 3 days. Cut into 1-inch squares to serve.

TURRON DE COCO

Steps:

• Grease an 8-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, allowing overhang on all sides.
• In a medium-size heavy saucepan, combine condensed milk, coconut milk, butter, orange zest and shredded coconut. Stir constantly over medium heat until it begins to pull away from the pan and clumps together, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in the vanilla while still warm.
• Pour into the prepared pan then spread evenly with an offset spatula until smooth. Bring to room temperature then wrap and chill until firm, at least 2 hours.
• Place chocolate in a heatproof mixing bowl and set over a pot of gently simmering water. Stir constantly until the chocolate is completely melted. Off heat, stir in the grapeseed oil.
• While still in the pan, pour half of the melted chocolate over the coconut mixture and spread in an even layer. Chill in the freezer until set, about 10 minutes. Lift out of the pan and gently turn onto a layer of parchment or wax paper. Pour remaining chocolate over coconut and spread in even layers so that it is coated on both sides. Return to freezer until set, an additional 10 minutes. Peel off of wax paper, trim on all sides, and cut into two rectangular tablets. Cut into desired shapes.

SPANISH TURRON RECIPE

Steps:

• Toast the almonds in the oven or in a pan at the stove, moving them whenever you can so that they brown evenly, and remove them before they turn dark.
• Put the sugar with the honey in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat over low heat and mix the sugar with the honey.
• Meanwhile, beat the egg white with a stand or hand mixer, until you get soft peaks.
• When the sugar and honey mixture begins to bubble, cook for two more minutes and remove from heat. Incorporate the whipped egg white slowly and move lightly so that it doesn't set. Return the pot to the heat of the stove and continue cooking while constantly stirring. Never take it to high heat, always medium to low.
• Don't stop stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture has the texture of caramel, which is known as the hard ballpoint, or until the caramel breaks. Then add the almonds and mix well.
• Let it cool for a few minutes and pour the nougat mix into a square or rectangular cake pan lined with parchment paper. Smooth the surface and let it cool completely before eating it.

TURRONES DE CASOY

Steps:

• Line 22cm X 16cm baking dish with parchment paper and preheat oven at 180°C/350°F.
• If using fresh cashew nuts, cut each nut lengthwise in half. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden. You can also toast them over low-medium heat in a pan until golden brown. Set aside
• Heat a medium-sized pot over low heat. Add honey and cook while stirring for 4-5 minutes.
• Add sugar and stir-cook until sugar completely dissolves. Let simmer in low heat while making the meringue.
• To make the meringue, beat egg white with a hand mixer until stiff peak.
• Mix the honey-sugar mixture then add the meringue in batches. Stir the meringue into the honey-sugar until incorporated. Cook for 20-30 minutes until it reaches ribbon stage or thick.
• Add baked/toasted cashew nuts and stir to distribute evenly. Continue cooking for 8-10 minutes in low heat. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Sift together powdered sugar and cornstarch in a bowl then generously coat bottom of the prepared baking dish with powdered sugar-cornstarch mix.
• Transfer turrones (honey-sugar-cashew mix) into baking dish then coat the top with powdered sugar-cornstarch mix. Press the top of the turrones using hands and let it set for 2 - 3 hours.
• When turrones is set, cut and divide into 16 equal portions.
• To wrap each turrones piece with wafer paper. Slightly dampen sides of wafer paper with water. Place turrones in the center and gently wrap and seal the sides.
• Repeat process with all the remaining turrones pieces. Serve and enjoy. Bon appetit!