Il Cucinologo
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Homemade Hazelnut Torrone

17/11/2023

Hazelnut torrone is a typical sweet, particularly popular during the Christmas holidays, but enjoyed all year round. Here is the recipe to make hazelnut torrone at home.

Ingredients

  • 400 g shelled and toasted hazelnuts
  • 400 g wildflower honey
  • 300 g granulated sugar
  • 2 egg whites
  • Edible wafer paper (enough to cover the bottom and surface of the torrone)
  • A pinch of salt

Preparation

  1. Toast the hazelnuts in the oven at 150 °C for about 10-15 minutes, until golden and fragrant, then let them cool.
  2. Line a rectangular baking pan with edible wafer paper to cover the base.
  3. In a wide saucepan, heat the honey over medium heat, letting it simmer gently for about 30 minutes, until it becomes darker and thicker.
  4. At the same time, in another saucepan, dissolve the sugar with a little water and once dissolved, cook it until it reaches the soft caramel stage.
  5. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks with a pinch of salt.
  6. When the honey has reached the desired consistency, begin adding the caramel in a thin stream, continuing to stir.
  7. Then gradually pour in the stiff egg whites, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture has thickened and pulled away from the sides of the saucepan.
  8. Add the toasted hazelnuts to the mixture and stir until they are evenly distributed.
  9. Pour the mixture into the pan, leveling it well with a spoon or a wet spatula.
  10. Cover the torrone with another layer of wafers and apply light pressure to compact everything.
  11. Let the torrone cool for several hours or, better yet, overnight, before cutting it into pieces with a sharp knife.

Trivia

Torrone is a sweet of ancient origins, believed to have been introduced to Italy by the Romans. Traditionally, the production of torrone was associated with feasts and celebrations for its precious ingredients, such as honey and almonds or hazelnuts. In various regions of Italy, there are unique variations of torrone, some of which are protected by controlled designation of origin (PDO).

For a more Italian version of this recipe, you could use high-quality honey typical of your region and perhaps add a pinch of vanilla or candied orange zest to the mixture, common in more traditional Italian torrone variants.