Spanish Soft Nougat – Turrón of Jijona

Description

It is a delicacy, a pure joy to the palate that has such rich history: this delicious creation is called turrón or, in other words, Spanish nougat. It is the result of a clever blend of honey, sugar, egg white, and almonds or hazelnuts. Simple and natural ingredients, abundantly available in the Mediterranean basin.

The two main varieties of Spanish turrón are: the turrón de Jijona, which is the soft nougat, and the turrón de Alicante which is the hard nougat.

• The turrón of Alicante is composed of a preparation made from honey, sugar, egg white and roasted whole blanched almonds, traditionally wrapped between two paper wafers.
• The turrón of Jijona is composed of a ground preparation, made of honey, sugar, egg white and roasted almonds.

Modernly the name turrón has widened its meaning in Spain to include many other sweet preparations that have in common with traditional turrón being sold in bars of around 20 x 10 x 3 cm. These bars can feature chocolate, marzipan, coconut, caramel, candied fruit, and many other ingredients.