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Home » Ingredients » Eggs

Nougat Recipe - Italian Torrone

Published: Nov 24, 2017 · Modified: Nov 5, 2022. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Recipe Jump to Video
Usually exchanged as edible gifts, this nougat recipe is a caramelized mix of marshmallow and honey filled with toasted almonds and pistachios.

This Torrone or Nougat recipe is simple, and straightforward, and you can easily try it at home, using only natural ingredients, no corn syrup. Torrone or nougat is a caramelized mix of vanilla, marshmallow, and honey, filled with toasted almonds and pistachios. There are different flavors, chewy and crunchy versions. These airy, fluffy, sweet, rich candies are popular at Christmas, usually exchanged as edible gifts.

nougat recipe Italian torrone on a black board
Jump to:
  • Preparation
  • Let's keep it simple
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Making the Italian meringue
  • Variation
  • Equipment
  • Storage
  • Top tips summary
  • Recipes you might also like
  • Nougat Recipe - Italian Torrone

Torrone candy is a typical Christmas present in Italy, usually made by artisanal bakeries or common chocolate brands. They are one of the many similarities between Italian and French cuisines.

The base is always the same: a rich Italian meringue mixed with honey and different flavors (vanilla, orange, lemon) and nuts (usually almonds and pistachios).

Some versions are covered with dark, milk, or white chocolate.

Torrone bars are wrapped in colorful wrapping paper, often in the shape of candies, a great idea for homemade Christmas edible gifts.

For more edible gifts, you can check nine homemade Italian liqueurs, particularly the Christmas Italian Eggnog VOV. You can also make red pepper jelly to serve with a cheese platter, or Balsamic fig glaze, or Concord grape jelly to serve with homemade foie gras terrine.

For more egg whites recipes, you can check the Mini Meringues, Mont Blanc dessert, Chestnut Pavlova, Floating Island, or watch the web story: Desserts Using Egg Whites.

Nougat and other edible homemade gifts

Preparation

If you have never made nougat before, you need to make your plan as it is not an easy recipe. I made it easy to follow by simplifying some steps, but you still need to be thoroughly prepared:

  • Make sure you do not have any distractions, as the preparation of the marshmallow requires your total attention.
  • Read the entire recipe before you start, and prepare all the necessary ingredients and equipment.
  • You will need to whip the egg whites with hot caramel for a long-time. It is best to have an electric mixer with a heat-resistant bowl
  • If you are not familiar with caramel, you need a kitchen thermometer
  • Sheets of rice waffle paper are essential for this recipe, but you may have to order online. They are thin edible sheets that contain the nougat so it doesn't stick to the pan.
Torrone cut into bars contained by a rice wafer paper

Let's keep it simple

Some Nougat recipes suggest caramelizing the syrup and the honey separately. That is an impossible task for non-professional cooks.

Syrup and honey have to reach the right temperature and consistency at the same time in separate pots, while the egg whites reach a firm peach in the blender.

It is like an orchestra director that needs to perfectly time the rhythm of the caramel honey, the syrup, and the marshmallow.

I had a great tip from a French chef Claudine, "you can caramelize the honey and syrup together".

This is so much simpler!

Two pans and mixer to make the Italian meringue with syrup and honey

Why no corn syrup

This recipe uses all-natural ingredients that are easy to find at your local supermarket (except for the rice waffle sheets that cannot be substituted).

Most nougat recipes I found online use corn syrup, a glucose mixture made from corn, usually added to process food at an industrial scale.

Something I wouldn't use for other recipes or have at home.

Even if it helps stabilize the meringue, it is not a mandatory ingredient, and I rather not waste money on it.

make the caramel next to the mixer

Ingredients

  • Caster sugar: regular granulated sugar
  • Freshwater: regular water is fine. If your tap water has a strong flavor, use bottled water. Although it is not necessary.
  • Honey: I like to use acacia or wildflowers honey, but you can use the one you have at home as long as it is natural.
  • Egg whites: Use fresh egg whites at room temperature. If cold, the egg whites will not beat to stiff peaks
  • Peeled or unpeeled whole almonds: as long as their shell is removed, if you buy unpeeled almonds, they are very easy to peel. They need to be whole, not sliced or shredded.
  • Peeled whole pistachios: it is time-consuming to peel pistachios, so best to buy the peeled ones.
  • Sheets of rice waffle paper: they are not easy to find in the supermarket. Order them online or buy them in a pastry specialty shop.

Chocolate ganache for the coating (optional):

  • Dark chocolate
  • Whole cream

Quantities are in the recipe card below

ingredients and their names

Instructions

Peeling and toasting the nuts

If your almonds are not peeled, you can easily peel them as follows:

pour hot water on almonds
  1. Let the almonds soak in hot boiling water
let the water cool down
  1. Wait until the water cools down
peel the almonds by squeezing the skin off
  1. The almond's peel will slip out by simply squeezing it with your fingers
almonds are peeled quickly
  1. It will only take a few minutes to peel them all
place almonds and pistachios on a pan
  1. Place the peeled almonds and pistachios on a baking tray over parchment paper
toast the almonds and the pistachios
  1. Toast the nuts for 15 minutes in a hot oven at 300 F - 150 C

Hint: Do not get distracted, as the nuts burn suddenly if kept longer in the oven.

Prepare the rice waffles

Place a rice waffle sheet on a flat tray and keep the other sheet on the side.

cover a tray with the waffle paper

Making the Italian meringue

Before you start, place the electrical mixer next to the pot you will be making the caramel. The less you move around with hot caramel, the better it is.

place blender and pot next to each others

Make the caramel

place water, sugar and honey in the pot
  1. Place in the pot the fresh water, the sugar, and the honey
start melting the syrup
  1. Turn on the heat and let it simmer at medium heat

Hint: Do not mix, not move the pan, or continually check the temperature, even if the sugar is not completely dissolved. It will eventually. If you move the caramel, the sugar will crystallize, and you will have to start all over again. Even if the caramel boils too vigorously, the sugar can crystallize. Keep it simmering at medium temperature.

Whip the egg whites

place the egg whites in the mixer
  1. Place the egg whites into the mixer
start whipping the egg whites when the caramel start turning light yellow
  1. Start whipping the egg whites only when the caramel starts to turn slightly yellow

Hint: The egg whites will form a stiff peak in only a few minutes. At that point, you will need to stop whipping and pour the hot caramel. If the caramel is not ready, the egg whites will not hold their stiff peak for long and will start separating at the bottom. You must start whipping them again just before the caramel is ready. Timing is of the essence!

Check the temperature of the caramel with a kitchen thermometer
  1. Check the temperature with a kitchen thermometer. The caramel has to reach 300 F - 150 C
the caramel is done when golden yellow
  1. The caramel is done once it turns golden yellow.
Slowly pour the caramel in the egg whites
  1. Start slowly pouring the caramel in a thin stream into the egg whites while whipping. Just like a Mayonaise
Do not collect the caramel left in the pan
  1. Even if some caramel is still in the pan, do not try to collect it with a spoon and pour it into the mixture. You need to focus on the meringue. Let it go!
keep whisking the eggs until they are cold
  1. Keep mixing it until it cools down completely. It will form a shiny, thick ribbon.
mix the Italian meringue with the nuts
  1. Once the honey and the caramel are incorporated, add the roasted almonds, pistachios, and vanilla essence and mix them with a spatula by hand

Making the Nougat

spread the mixture over the wafer paper
  1. Spread the nougat mix over the rice waffle sheet with a spatula
place another wafer paper on top and press
  1. Place the second rice waffle sheet on top and press
Roll it flat with a rolling pin
  1. To make it even, you can roll it flat with a rolling pin
Let it rest overnight
  1. Let it rest overnight in a dry place
Cut off the uneven edges
  1. The next day the nougat is ready. Remove the uneven edges. We will use them later
Cut the nougat into bars
  1. and cut them into bars about 3 inches - 8 cm long. You can make them smaller if you wish.

Packaging the Torrone Candy

If you want to package them to make candy parcels, use wax paper for candy and tighten the ends with ribbons.

I suggest using transparent paper so you can see the nougats inside.

Torrone Italian Nougat wrapped as candies

Covering with chocolate

If you want to use the uneven edges you removed earlier, you can cover them with chocolate:

  1. Prepare the chocolate ganache by melting the chocolate in the microwave for a few minutes at low to medium watts (500W).
  2. Slightly warm up the whole cream and add to the chocolate
stirring the melted chocolate
  1. Prepare the chocolate ganache by melting the chocolate in the microwave for a few minutes at low to medium watts (500W).
Mixing the chocolate with the cream
  1. Slightly warm up the whole cream at Bain Marie and add to the chocolate
Cut the uneven borders into small chunks
  1. Cut the uneven edges of the Torrone into small bites and remove with a scissor the extra waffle paper
Cover them with chocolate ganache
  1. Deep the nougat bites in the chocolate ganache lay them on a tray, and put them in the fridge to solidify.

Hint: This is a fun activity to do with children. The bites do not have to be perfect, they are handmade

Torrone Italian Nougat chocolate gift in jars
  1. I left some plain bites and put them mixed in the jar. You can also coat them in white chocolate or make different flavors

Variation

In this recipe, we have added vanilla essence, but there are different other variations:

  • Citrus: you can add lemon or orange zest. I suggest adding the zests we soaked in alcohol to make limoncello or orange liqueur curacao. The alcohol they have absorbed will give an extra kick.
  • Hazelnuts: instead of almonds and pistachios, you can use hazelnuts or other nuts.
  • Essence: you can also use orange flower or almond essence
  • Candied fruit: sometimes candied fruit like raisins, cranberries, or dried apricots are added to the nuts
Pile of torrone on a table with festive ribbons

Equipment

As mentioned above, this recipe needs to have some fundamental equipment:

  • KitchenAid Mixer: as the egg whites and the caramel need whipping for a long time, you need an electric mixer. The mixer bowl has to be heat resistant as you will be adding hot caramel to the mixture
  • Kitchen thermometer digital: if you are not used to making caramel, you need a kitchen thermometer to ensure the caramel has reached the right temperature and can be added. Professional chefs do it with their fingers, but I do not recommend it.
  • All-clad small pot: you need a solid, firm pot as the simmering of the caramel needs to be consistent and stable
  • Double Boiler Pot Bain Marie: if you are coating the nougat with chocolate
  • Glass jars: for packaging as an edible gift
  • Wrap Cello Bag: for packaging as candy bars
Torrone Italian Nougat Recipe with Christmas decoration on the background

Storage

Store the Torrone in a dry place inside an airtight container.

Even if it will last for months, it is best used within a few weeks.

Torrone bars on a plate

Top tips summary

If you have never made nougat before, you need to make your plan as it is not an easy recipe. I made it easy to follow by simplifying some steps, but you still need to be thoroughly prepared:

  • Make sure you do not have any distractions, as the preparation of the marshmallow requires your total attention.
  • Read the entire recipe before you start, and prepare all the necessary ingredients and equipment.
  • You will need to whip the egg whites with hot caramel for a long-time. It is best to have an electric mixer with a heat-resistant bowl
  • If you are not familiar with caramel, you need a kitchen thermometer
  • Sheets of rice waffle paper are essential for this recipe, but you may have to order online. They are thin edible sheets that contain the nougat so it doesn't stick to the pan.
  • Egg whites: Use fresh egg whites at room temperature. If cold, the egg whites will not beat to stiff peaks
  • Toasting the nuts: Do not get distracted, as the nuts burn suddenly if kept longer in the oven.
  • Making the caramel: Do not mix, not move the pan, or continually check the temperature, even if the sugar is not completely dissolved. It will eventually. If you move the caramel, the sugar will crystallize, and you will have to start all over again. Even if the caramel boils too vigorously, the sugar can crystallize. Keep it simmering at medium temperature.
  • Mixing egg whites and caramel: The egg whites will form a stiff peak in only a few minutes. At that point, you will need to stop whipping and pour the hot caramel. If the caramel is not ready, the egg whites will not hold their stiff peak for long and will start separating at the bottom. You must start whipping them again just before the caramel is ready. Timing is of the essence!

Recipes you might also like

For more winter desserts recipes, check out the category: Desserts

Also, check the recipes below for Christmas made with egg whites:

  • Mont Blanc dessert
  • Pavlova Recipe with Chestnut Mousse
  • Torta Caprese with Almond and Chocolate - Gluten Free
  • Walnut Dark Chocolate Sponge Cake with Raspberry
  • Mini Meringues Recipe
  • Scandinavian Almond Cake With Custard Cream
  • Ile Flottante Recipe

If you are making this Nougat Torrone, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, or sign up to my newsletter.

Torrone nougat recipe

Nougat Recipe - Italian Torrone

This Torrone or Nougat recipe is simple and straightforward, so you can easily try it at home, using only natural ingredients, no corn syrup. Torrone or nougat is a caramelized mix of marshmallow and honey filled with toasted almonds and pistachios. There are different variations of flavors, hard and soft versions, this is the soft one.
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 40 minutes
Resting time 1 day
⏲️Total Time 1 day 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 8 Bars
Print Rate SaveSaved!
Author: Laura Tobin

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • ⅓ cup fresh water
  • ⅓ cup honey acacia or wild flowers
  • 2 egg white
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 14 oz peeled whole almonds
  • 3 ½ oz peeled whole pistachios
  • 2 sheets rice/waffle paper

Chocolate ganache for the coating

  • 11 ½ oz dark chocolate 70%
  • 1 cup whole cream
Prevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

  • KitchenAid Mixer
  • Kitchen thermometer digital
  • All-clad small pot
  • Double Boiler Pot Bain Marie
  • Baking Utensil Set
  • Glass jars
  • Wrap Cello Bags
  • Mini Measuring Set
Looking for kitchen gadget gifts?
Check out Amzon Shop USA!
Check out Amazon Shop UK!

Instructions

Preparing the nuts

  • Let the almonds soak in hot boiling water
    14 oz peeled whole almonds
  • Wait until the water cools down
  • The almond's peel will slip out by simply squeezing it with your fingers
  • It will only take a few minutes to peel them all
  • Place the peeled almonds and pistachios on a baking tray over parchment paper
    3 ½ oz peeled whole pistachios
  • Toast the nuts for 15 minutes in a hot oven at 300 F - 150 C

Making Italian meringue with caramel and honey

  • Before you start, place the electrical mixer next to the pot you will be making the caramel
  • Place in the pot the fresh water, the sugar, and the honey
    1 cup caster sugar, ⅓ cup fresh water, ⅓ cup honey
  • Turn on the heat and let it simmer at medium heat. Do not stir, do not move the pan
  • Place the egg whites into the mixer
    2 egg white
  • Start whipping the egg whites only when the caramel starts to turn slightly yellow
  • Check the temperature with a kitchen thermometer. The caramel has to reach 300 F - 150 C
  • The caramel is done once it turns golden yellow.
  • Start slowly pouring the caramel in a thin stream into the egg whites while whipping. Just like a Mayonaise
  • Even if some caramel is still in the pan, do not try to collect it with a spoon and pour it into the mixture. You need to focus on the meringue. Let it go!
  • Keep mixing it until it cools down completely. It will form a shiny, thick ribbon.
  • Once the honey and the caramel are incorporated, add the roasted almonds, pistachios, vanilla essence and mix them with a spatula by hand
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Making the Torrone Nougat

  • Place a rice waffle sheet on a flat tray and keep the other sheet on the side.
    2 sheets rice/waffle paper
  • Spread the nougat mix over the rice waffle sheet with a spatula
  • Cover with a second rice waffle sheet and press
  • To make it even, you can roll it flat with a rolling pin
  • Let it rest overnight in a dry place
  • Remove the uneven edges
  • Cut the nougat into bars
  • You can package them as candy bars

Covering with chocolate

  • Cut the uneven edges into small bites and remove with a scissor the extra waffle paper
    Keep the uneven borders a side-1
  • Prepare the chocolate ganache by melting the chocolate in the microwave for few minutes at low to medium watts (500W).
    11 ½ oz dark chocolate
    stirring the melted chocolate
  • Slightly warm up the whole cream and add to the chocolate
    1 cup whole cream
  • Deep the nougat bites in the chocolate ganache, lay them on a tray and put them in the fridge to solidify. This is a fun activity to do with children. The bites do not have to be perfect, they are handmade
    Cover some with a chocolate ganache-1
  • I left some plain bites and put them mixed in the jar. You can also coat them in white chocolate or make different flavours

Video

Liked this video?Check out My YouTube Channel!

Notes

If you have never made nougat before, you need to make your plan as it is not an easy recipe. I made it easy to follow by simplifying some steps, but you still need to be thoroughly prepared:
  • Make sure you do not have any distractions, as the preparation of the marshmallow requires your total attention.
  • Read the entire recipe before you start, and prepare all the necessary ingredients and equipment.
  • You will need to whip the egg whites with hot caramel for a long-time. It is best to have an electric mixer with a heat-resistant bowl
  • If you are not familiar with caramel, you need a kitchen thermometer
  • Sheets of rice waffle paper are essential for this recipe, but you may have to order online. They are thin edible sheets that contain the nougat so it doesn't stick to the pan.
  • Egg whites: Use fresh egg whites at room temperature. If cold, the egg whites will not beat to stiff peaks
  • Toasting the nuts: Do not get distracted, as the nuts burn suddenly if kept longer in the oven.
  • Making the caramel: Do not mix, not move the pan, or continually check the temperature, even if the sugar is not completely dissolved. It will eventually. If you move the caramel, the sugar will crystallize, and you will have to start all over again. Even if the caramel boils too vigorously, the sugar can crystallize. Keep it simmering at medium temperature.
  • Mixing egg whites and caramel: The egg whites will form a stiff peak in only a few minutes. At that point, you will need to stop whipping and pour the hot caramel. If the caramel is not ready, the egg whites will not hold their stiff peak for long and will start separating at the bottom. You must start whipping them again just before the caramel is ready. Timing is of the essence!

Nutrition

Calories: 853kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 60g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 40mg | Potassium: 793mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 489IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 182mg | Iron: 7mg
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  • Savory Chicken Crepes Using Leftovers
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Patty @pattysaveurs.com

    November 24, 2017 at 10:37 am

    5 stars
    Thanks so much for the shout out Laura! Bravo you did good, love nougat covered in chocolate ganache, brings it to another level, hope your friends and family will love your present!

    Reply
    • Laura

      November 24, 2017 at 10:46 am

      Thank you for the idea, your instructions were perfect. I already gave some to the nuns of the Dominican Convent in Saint Paul de Vence. I might get a special Mass in return

      Reply
  2. Amy

    November 24, 2017 at 11:10 am

    5 stars
    I love edible gifts, I'm going to make this for my son's teachers.

    Reply
    • Laura

      November 24, 2017 at 12:40 pm

      Good idea, this is my first year that I don't have to make Christmas gifts for teachers. It was quite stressful

      Reply
  3. Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry

    November 24, 2017 at 11:55 am

    5 stars
    I love nougat but very rarely make it myself - I must change that. The nougat covered in chocolate ganache sounds delicious!

    Reply
    • Laura

      November 24, 2017 at 12:41 pm

      Thank you, I love the chocolate one. I should try with white and milk chocolate next time

      Reply
  4. Agata

    November 24, 2017 at 10:59 am

    I have never made nougat at home before but I am going to try it for sure; it looks perfect!

    Reply
  5. Claire@foodiequine

    November 24, 2017 at 1:26 pm

    5 stars
    Edible Christmas gifts are just the best, this looks gorgeous. Pinned to Christmas Board.

    Reply
    • Laura

      November 25, 2017 at 5:03 am

      Thank you so much for the Pinning.

      Reply
  6. chris

    November 24, 2017 at 1:29 pm

    5 stars
    Aren't edible gifts just the best kind of gifts? Thanks for the super clear step-by-steps, will be making a batch of these for sure 🙂

    Reply
    • Laura

      November 25, 2017 at 5:03 am

      Thank you Chris, You are a master in step by step

      Reply
  7. Beth

    November 24, 2017 at 2:48 pm

    5 stars
    This is very well done! I don't know if I have the patience to accomplish this task!

    Reply
    • Laura

      November 25, 2017 at 5:01 am

      Not easy, only if you are up for a challenge

      Reply
  8. Nicole

    August 09, 2019 at 11:03 pm

    Where can you purchase the waffle/rice sheets for this recipe?

    Reply
    • Laura

      August 10, 2019 at 7:18 am

      You can find it on Amazon

      Reply

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