Turron - Traditional Spanish Christmas Fare
Recipe for Spain's Nougat-like Xmas Sweet Treat
Nov 3, 2009
Al-Ándalus is the area of Spain that was under Muslim control during the years 711 to 1492. The Moors brought many customs to Spain and one of the gastronomic uses of honey and almonds are still evident today.
From these ingredients the Moors made sweets like nougat that are called turron. These can be soft like fudge or hard and brittle like toffee.
Another main ingredient tended to be egg whites, today many different forms and flavours exist and they are a popular and traditional Christmas gift. Dried or candied fruits and nuts are also used in the various turrons.
The art of making these delicacies was also a way of preserving the ingredients such as turron de yema a soft nougat-like turron made from egg yolks and marzipan made from almonds.
The first recipe thought to have been published was in the anonymous book Manual de Mujeres – Ladies manual in XVI century which opened the making of turron up to all and records show that turron soon became a popular Christmas treat throughout Spain among the wealthier citizens.
Try this recipe for a brittle crunchy almond turron.
Almond Turron
Ingredients
- 1 kilo honey
- 500 gm white sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 1.5 kilos ground almonds
- 1 lemon
Method
- Heat the honey over a low heat, be very careful not to let it burn.
- Add the sugar and let it dissolve then set aside to cool.
- In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until they form peaks and add them to the cooled sugar and honey mixture. Stir for about ten minutes then put the pan over a low heat, keep stirring constantly until the mixture begins to caramelise – it will turn a lovely golden brown.
- This stirring stage is extremely important – don’t be tempted to ignore it or shorten it.
- Add the ground almonds and the zest of the lemon- to the honey and egg mixture and stir together well, then put it aside to cool for a few minutes.
- Transfer well cooler to a greased tin and then leave to finish cooling and set for about two hours.
- Once it is cool it is ready to eat. If it’s to be stored wrapping it in greaseproof paper before putting it in a tin or plastic container is best.
There is a Turron museum in Alicante which is open to the public.
See here or more on Spanish gastronomy or here for nutritional information on honey.
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