Torrone

Intrigued by Anna Olson's amazing bakes, I bookmarked so many of her recipes to try and the one recipe that stands out is torrone, which essentially is Nougats. This recipe calls for focus on the temperature and so you'll need a candy thermometer.

2 cups almonds

1 cup shelled pistachios

400g + 50g caster sugar

90g egg whites

400ml honey

1 tsp vanilla extract 

Zest of 1 lemon

A pinch of salt

Cornstarch for dusting 

1. Line a 23cm by 33cm tray and set aside. 

2. Lightly toast the almonds.

3. Mix the nuts, lemon zest and vanilla extract and set aside.

4. Whisk the egg white and salt till foamy and add the 50g caster sugar gradually and beat till soft peak.

5. Boil the honey and 400g of sugar, stirring continuously till 138 degrees, after  that you can stop stirring because after 138 degrees, the honey mixture will not be in danger of boiling over.

6. Leave the mixture to heat up to 157 degrees and take it off the heat. 

7. Allow the mixture to cool to 149 degrees and pour the mixture down the side of the mixing bowl where the softly whipped egg white is, mixing on high speed. The egg white will inflate, then collapse again. 

8. Beat the mixture till cool enough that your hand can touch the mixing bowl. 

9. Fold in the nut mixture and pour the mixture into the tray.

10. Spread the nougat mixture evenly on the tray and with hand coated with corn starch, press the mixture to even the nougat out. 

11. Cool the mixture completely for about 3 hours before cutting into bite sized Nougats.

12. Wipe the knife with a thin layer of oil and cut the big block nougat into bite sized ones.

13. To store, place the Nougats a distance apart and use baking papers before stacking a second layer. 

I stored them in the fridge and discovered that the Nougats hardened after being put in the fridge. They're really delicious and they do not stick to the teeth. 

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

2 Corinthians 9:15 NIV

http://bible.com/111/2co.9.15.niv