Food Wishes Torrone

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:

• Pour honey into a large double boiler and cook for 1-1/2 hours, stirring.
• constantly with a clean wooden spoon. (300degF on candy thermometer).
• Toast almonds and hazelnuts in oven until golden brown. Just before honey is ready (when it becomes hard and brittle if dropped from a teaspoon into cold water), put sugar into a small pan with 1/2 cup water and cook until slightly bluish (300degF).
• Beat egg whites to stiff peaks and add to honey. Mix well for 5-6 minutes. Add diluted sugar.
• Mix again for another 5 minutes. Add almonds, hazelnuts and grated lemon rind.
• Mix well and pour into wafer paper lined 8"x8" square non-stick pan. Spread the torrone with an offset spatula coated with non-stick spray and place 2nd sheet on wafer paper - pressing firmly to the top of the candy.
• I covered the pan with plastic wrap and placed into the freezer for faster firming. You can let it sit out on the counter for an hour or overnight as well.
• Invert the candy onto a cutting board. You may need to use the offset spatula to help loosen. Use an ELECTRIC KNIFE to cut the torrone into small squares.
• To store the torrone wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature or in the freezer.