Torrone di Benevento ~ Beneventan Nougat
Torrone di Benevento is a Christmas nougat that dates back to the ancient Romans. It takes its name from the Latin verb torreo, which means to toast – with reference to toasting almonds and hazelnuts. In the 17th century, nougat became famous when it was sent to the prelates in the Papal State for Christmas. From that point on, it was called Torrone del Papa in honor of the Pope. The honey, sugar and nut cake was always popular amongst the Irpino-Samnites in San Marco dei Cavoti, a small town in Benevento, due to the abundance of almonds and hazelnuts grown in the region. Today, it’s made with almonds or hazelnuts in a soft cake, as a crunchy bar, or covered with chocolate and called torroncino. This is my mom’s family recipe from Prata Sannita.
Ingredients
Preparation
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Grease two 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 inch) cake pans. Toast whole unblanched hazelnuts, then set aside.
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In a double boiler, add the honey and stir continuously with a wooden spoon for one hour. Meanwhile, beat two egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Add beaten egg whites to honey, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition, then set aside.
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In a saut. pan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has caramelized.
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Add caramelized sugar to the honey mixture, one tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each tablespoon is added. Pour the mixture into a heavy saucepan and cook over direct heat to 115ÅãC (240ÅãF) using a candy thermometer, stirring constantly or until a small amount forms into a soft ball when dropped in cold water.
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Once the mixture solidifies into a soft ball, remove the pan from heat. Add the toasted hazelnuts and whole unblanched almonds all at once. Mix well and quickly pour into the cake pans.
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Let cool for 20 minutes, then cut into small square pieces, 2. x 5 cm (1 x 2 inches), and serve.