This sweet nougat made of almonds, honey sugar and egg white, is one of the most traditional desserts eaten at Christmas in Spain. It is of Arabic origin and was introduced in Spain over 500 years ago by the Moors. It is produced in the town of Jijona, 30 miles to the north of Alicante. The area’s economy is based on the manufacture of turrón and there is even a museum of turrón.
Turrón is produced in this area because the wild flowers on the mountains surrounding Jijona allow mountain bees to produce rich honey, a key ingredient. Along with honey, almonds from local orchards allow the “turroneros” to make this delicious artisan sweet.
One of the most traditional and delicious foods to eat in Spain at Christmas is “turrón” (nougat). There are many different flavours and varieties but the most typical is probably “turrón blando” also known as “turrón de Jijona” (soft nougat) made from crushed almonds, hazelnuts, honey and sugar. Try out the following recipe by watching the Youtube video and reading the method below (in Spanish and English):
Vamos a preparar ‘Turrón Blando Casero’.
We are going to prepare ‘Homemade Soft Nougat’.
Los ingredientes que necesitamos son:
(The ingredients that we need are:)
250g almendras cruda pelada / 250g peeled raw almonds
100g avellanas / 100g hazelnuts
1 clara de huevo / 1 egg white
200g miel / 200g honey
100g azúcar / 100g sugar
esencia de limón / lemon essence
canela / cinnamon Continue reading