Torrone, an Italian Christmas Treat
In a way, Christmas is an unpredictable holiday. Children wonder whether it will snow or if they’ll get the toy they asked for while adults contemplate holiday traffic and hope they’re not forgetting anyone on their list. On the other hand, it’s the most predictable day of the year. You can pretty much guarantee there will be a tree, carols, presents and, if you’re in Italy, a lot of sweets.
Or more specifically, a lot of pane. Panettone: the bold, imposing, there’s-no-way-we-can-finish-this cake studded with fruit and nuts, originally from Milan. Pandoro, or golden bread: a tall, sugar-topped cake from Verona, which looks like a star. Panforte, or strong bread: Siena’s contribution to Italian Christmas, a dense combination of honey, spices, fruit and nuts. Then there’s the slightly less internationally known, but no less predictable torrone: an almond-nougat treat with dubious origins but a welcome discovery for any sweet tooth.
According to legend (but not etymology), on October 25, 1441, torrone was born. It was the marriage between Bianca Maria Visconti, daughter of the Duke of Milan, and Francesco Sforza in Cremona, a town southeast of Milan. This was no ordinary wedding—the dowry, among other gifts, included the city of Cremona. To celebrate this unprecedented event, the pastry chefs prepared a regal dessert in the shape of the city’s cathedral, called the Torazzo or Torrione, using a mixture of almonds, honey, sugar and egg whites. Thus, torrone came to be a symbol of celebration, festivity and Cremona itself.
Although Cremona is considered to be the torrone heartland, the name is most likely of Arabic origin. The 13th-century Arabic recipe for qubbayat is a sweet treat made with honey and almonds and cooked for a long period of time. The Sicilian dialect for torrone is cubbàita, indicating that this combination of ingredients was probably introduced to Italy by Arab populations. To add to the confusion, etymologists contend that torrone derives from the Spanish turròn (to roast), which originally derived from the Latin turrar (to toast). Toasting, roasting and all etymology aside, torrone is undeniably good.
The Torrone Tour
The regions of Italy have their own dialects, cultures, food and wine, so it is only natural that they have individual takes on torrone as well. The basic ingredients remain the same: honey, eggs and nuts, but the variations are endless. If you think dessert isn’t dessert without chocolate, there’s torrone al cioccolato from San Marco dei Cavoti in Campania. There’s also torrone della Regina, made with candied fruit instead of almonds. It was invented in the 19th century when King Ferdinand I of Naples asked the local bakers to develop a pastry for his wife, the regina, or queen. This signature delight benefits from the hazelnuts of nearby Avellino and the almonds of neighboring Benevento.
From north to south, torrone is accented with pistachios, candied citrus peel, sesame seeds or even dried figs. The confectionary varies from tender to break-your-teeth tough, and it can be cylindrical, rectangular or even a small pyramid shape, such as the bacetto (little kiss) from Calabria.
Despite its variations, the basic procedure for making torrone is constant: First, the honey is cooked for about an hour and a half in a double boiler to concentrate and caramelize it. This is a modern technique, which has been added to speed up the otherwise endless cooking process that ancient recipes require. Then the egg whites are beaten and slowly added to the honey to make a fluffy white mixture. A small amount of caramelized sugar is also added for sweetness and structure. The nougat mixture is then cooked until it hardens (or when a small amount is dropped into cold water, it forms a hard ball). Then, any combination of almonds, hazelnuts or other nuts (blanched or toasted) as well as candied orange peel or lemon rind is stirred in. Finally, the mixture is transferred to a loaf pan or baking dish to cool and fully harden. Traditionally, the baking tray is lined with ostie, or thin edible wafers, which give the final product that characteristic papery coating.
Sweet Celebrations
For such simple ingredients, torrone inspires quite a bit of awe and worship. Cremona is known as the Capitale del Torrone, and hosts a festival every November in its honor. Sardinia, which boasts its own torrone made with dried fruit and Sardinian honey, hosts Easter-time festivals and feasts as well. In fact, throughout all of Italy at some time or another, people are paying homage to torrone (or maybe just eating it), from Sicily in the south to Piedmont in the north. The tradition has even made its way to the streets of Little Italy in New York City, where the San Gennaro Festival in late September attracts its fair share of torrone-seekers.
So when the meal is over and you think you can’t possibly eat one more bite, just think: It’s only honey, nuts and eggs. Plus, you’re taking part in a time-honored Italian tradition, so break off a piece and enjoy.
