Christmas brings a wealth of traditions across countries. In England, festivities include special clothes, carols, mulled drinks and seasonal treats like mince pies. Spain celebrates with its own music, food and sweets, and one staple on Spanish tables during the holidays is turrón. This almond nougat is enjoyed after rich family meals and is as synonymous with a Spanish Christmas as mince pies are in England.
INGREDIENTS
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350g high-quality raw almonds, ideally Spanish Marcona, skinless
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1 egg white
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200g honey
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100g caster (superfine) sugar
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1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preparation
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Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas mark 6.
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Spread the raw almonds on a baking tray and roast for about 6 minutes, until they turn lightly golden. Allow them to cool, then pulse in a food processor to a coarse ground-almond texture. Take care not to over-process; releasing too much oil will affect the final consistency.
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In a clean, grease-free bowl, whisk the egg white until it forms an opaque, stable foam. This should take around a minute.
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Combine the honey, sugar and cinnamon in a heavy-bottomed pan over low–medium heat. Stir gently until the sugar dissolves into the honey. Remove the pan from the heat briefly and gradually fold in the egg white foam, whisking continuously. Return the pan to a low heat and, a little at a time, add the ground almonds, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula as the mixture thickens. Continue stirring for no more than five minutes to avoid overcooking.
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If the mixture appears to separate or become grainy, pulse it in the food processor for 20–30 seconds; it should re-emulsify and become smooth again.
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Transfer the turrón mixture into a cake tin (approximately 25cm x 12cm) or a similarly sized mould. Press and smooth the surface with a spatula or with clean hands if the mixture has cooled enough. Let it cool at room temperature for at least three hours to set fully. Once set, remove from the mould, slice and serve.
Turrón de almendra is a simple, traditional Spanish confection that highlights the flavour of good almonds and sweet honey. With minimal ingredients and straightforward steps, it makes a memorable dessert or gift during the holiday season.