Homemade Torrone Food

TORRONE 'MESS'

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix together the marshmallow creme and marmalade with a rubber spatula in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Spread the almonds and pistachios on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the oven just until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the warm nuts and salt to the bowl with the marshmallow creme and fold everything together. Divide the mixture evenly among 8 serving dishes and cool to room temperature. Grate the chocolate over the top just before serving.

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.

PISTACHIO TORRONE

Steps:

• Oil baking pan, then line bottom and sides with pieces of edible wafer paper, trimming it to fit.
• Heat honey, sugar, and water in a 5-quart heavy pot over low heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved, then bring to a boil over medium heat, without stirring, washing any sugar crystals down side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Put thermometer into syrup and continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until it registers 310 to 315°F (upper end of hard-crack stage).
• When thermometer reaches 300°F, start beating egg whites with salt in mixer, beating until they hold soft peaks. Remove syrup from heat and let stand until bubbles dissipate.
• With mixer at low speed, slowly pour hot syrup into whites in a thin stream down side of bowl. Increase speed to high and beat until mixture has cooled to warm (mixture will rise, then fall), about 20 minutes. Add flower water and almond extract and beat 1 minute more. Stir in pistachios.
• Sprinkle a work surface with cornstarch (1 tablespoon), then spoon torrone mixture onto cornstarch and gently knead a few times with hands dipped in cornstarch.
• Pat torrone mixture into baking pan and top with a square of wafer paper, trimming to fit. Let stand at room temperature at least 8 hours.
• Run a sharp thin knife around edges of pan, then invert torrone onto a cutting board. Leaving wafer paper on, trim ends and cut torrone into 1-inch-wide strips. Wrap each torrone strip in parchment paper. (If desired, cut each strip into 2-inch rectangles.)

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.