torrone

Torrone is a traditional Italian confection, a form of nougat made from honey or sugar, whipped egg whites, and roasted nuts, usually almonds or hazelnuts. It can be soft and chewy (torrone morbido) or hard and brittle (torrone duro). Variants may include pistachios, cocoa, or chocolate coatings.

It is produced in many Italian regions, with regional differences in nut choice and sweetness. The soft varieties are common in southern areas such as Campania and Sicily, while harder versions are traditional in Lombardy and Piedmont. A commercially common distinction is between white torrone (torrone bianco) and those colored or flavored with cocoa or chocolate.

To make torrone, a syrup of honey and sugar is heated to a high temperature; egg whites are whipped to stiff peaks and folded into the syrup, then toasted nuts are stirred in. The mixture is poured into molds or onto a sheet and pressed to an even thickness, cooled, and cut into bars or rectangles. Soft torrone tends to be more pliable, while hard torrone becomes dense and brittle.

Torrone is commonly associated with Christmas and winter celebrations, though it is sold year-round in specialty shops and at fairs. It has close parallels with other nougat candies such as turrón in Spain and nougat in France, sharing a base of nuts and a honey-sugar base.