Italian cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Soft Torrone

Soft nougat made from whipped honey and egg whites with roasted almonds, pressed between two wafer sheets.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 300 g almonds
• 100 g pistachios
• 400 g honey
• 150 g sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 organic lemon (zest)
• 2 edible wafer sheets

Instructions

1. Roast the almonds and pistachios separately on a baking sheet at 160 °C for 10 min. and keep warm in the switched-off oven until needed – cold nuts would make the mixture set immediately.
2. Cook the honey in a heavy pot over a water bath over low heat for 45–50 min., stirring occasionally, until a drop in cold water forms a firm ball.
3. At the same time, cook the sugar with 3 tbsp water to 145 °C and whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt to stiff peaks.
4. Pour the hot sugar syrup into the egg whites in a thin stream, then add the reduced honey and continue whisking for another 8–10 min. until the mixture is glossy, stretchy and cream-white.
5. Fold in the warm nuts and the grated lemon zest with a wooden spoon, spread the mixture onto a wafer sheet lining a tin about 20 × 25 cm and cover with the second wafer sheet.
6. Weight down with a board and something heavy, let set overnight at room temperature and cut into bars with a hot knife.