Never in a million years would i think that i would attempt making something like this,
A chewy vanilla nougat of egg whites and sugar, holding together a medley of nuts, seeds and dried fruits.
Also known as Torrone, this candy can trace its origins to its Italian roots.I know i am being severely out of season here by making this right smack in the middle of April, because these holiday candies are usually served around Christmas.
It’s okay though, these can be my personal Easter candies.
I came across a bakery selling these nougats a few months ago, and have been breaking the bank buying them regularly to get my sugar-nut fix. Despite that, i wasn’t anywhere near to attempting them as i have heard numerous sticky messes that these candies brought upon its creator. Especially if they came unarmed with edible wafer papers.
You can’t really serve these torrones without its wafer clothing, cause they will never get out of the pan, and they will probably stick to any and every surface they meet.
Despite all those warnings, this unwafered creator was unwavered.
Actually, my turning point came when i received a bag of salted almonds. I cant think of anything better to use these almonds up. Moreover, what’s a few egg whites and sugar in comparison to the bank breaking nougats i have been buying for months anyways?
So i rolled up my sleeves and gathered my hair in a tight ponytail ( pls do this, the last thing you want is gooey egg whites getting in your hair) and braced myself for the rocky road ahead.
As mentioned, I couldn’t find any of the edible papers which traditionally cover the surfaces of the torrones. So, i’ve decided on a coat of white chocolate, melted and spread on a pre-greased and pre-lined tin.
You want to have the base of your lining with overhang too. Mine was stretched all the way to cover the walls of the tin. This makes the torrone to be pulled out easily.
Over the white chocolate, you pile on the cooked torrone complete with its nutty company.
I would gladly have taken pictures of the process of heating up the sugar and egg whites here. But really, the window of temperature at which the cooking sugar should be poured into the egg whites is so critical that i couldn’t really afford to have my attention diverted to my camera.
But i can at least show you my nuts (no pun intended), can i?
A jumble of confused salted almonds, pistaschios, sunflower and pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries all thrown together.
Next, you want to cut out a piece of parchment, the size of the tin base and spread some melted white chocolate on it.
By placing this facedown over your torrone, this will act as the top “clothing” layer.
You then chill the whole tin for a bit for the chocolate to harden, then you can peel you parchment like so
Lift the torrone by its overhang,
And cut into bars
That wasnt too bad was it?
Did i convince you yet?
So go on, make this Christmas favourite on Easter,
Nuts and Seeds Torrones
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C + 1.5 TBS Corn Syrup
1/4 C Water
Pinch of Salt
1 Egg White
1 TBS Vanilla extract
1.5 C of Mixed Seeds, Nuts, and Dried Fruits
Some white chocolate, melted
Grease your tin (I used an 8×3 ) lightly with cooking oil and line the base of your tin with at least two of the sides extended (You will use this to pull out your torrone).
Melt some white chocolate and spread it over the pre-lined base
Combine sugar, corn syrup , water and salt in a saucepan, and cook over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, till sugar dissolves. Attach a candy thermometer at the side of the pan, and let the sugar boil away without stirring till it reaches a temperature of 315 F.
While waiting for the sugar to come to temperature, put the egg white in a clean bowl.
With an electric mixer, whisk your egg whites on medium speed till it reaches a stiff peak but not dry consistency.
When the sugar reaches 315F ( I waited for the sugar temperature to reach 290 F before i started whisking my egg whites. Whisked egg whites which has been left too long will separate), pour the sugar mixture into the egg whites while whisking continuously.
Continue beating the mixture till it gets heavy and gloopy and the bowl gets cool to the touch. Beat in the vanilla extract. Scrape the sides of the bowl and pour in the nuts and seeds. Mix till well combined.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin with the chocolate base (Do this quickly, the egg whites hardens further as it cools). Spread the mixture evenly across the tin. Set aside.
Cut out a piece of parchment the exact same size as the base of the tin. Spread some melted white chocolate over it and place it face down into the tin, over the torrone.Press the parchment down making sure that every of the torrone surface makes contact with the chocolate.
Chill in the refrigerator till chocolate hardens. Lift up the torrone from the tin.
Cut into bars and enjoy!
Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
