Introduction
Hi! My torrone currently can contains up to 23 different ingredients, all of which have very high nutritional reputations and below zero health damaging side effects (unless you have an allergy to Nuts). In reality it's rare that I have all these ingredients at home and even with 12 of them you can still create interesting combinations of tastes.
Most large supermarkets today (Tesco has a good section of natural ingredients) sell the majority of the ingredients (see bottom of the page).
Regarding the cereals list though, I find these only in Holland and Barrett. Porridge oats being the only exception as, in Scotland, these are as common as whiskey.
Hi! My torrone currently can contains up to 23 different ingredients, all of which have very high nutritional reputations and below zero health damaging side effects (unless you have an allergy to Nuts). In reality it's rare that I have all these ingredients at home and even with 12 of them you can still create interesting combinations of tastes.
Most large supermarkets today (Tesco has a good section of natural ingredients) sell the majority of the ingredients (see bottom of the page).
Regarding the cereals list though, I find these only in Holland and Barrett. Porridge oats being the only exception as, in Scotland, these are as common as whiskey.
INGREDIENTS
Cereals
- Rye flakes (Holland and Barrat)
- Barley flakes (Holland and Barrat)
- Chunky Oats (same as porridge, very popular)
- Bran Flakes (same as porridge, very popular)
- Wheat germ (Tesco or Holland and Barrat)
- Soya Mince (Tesco or Holland and Barrat)
Dry Fruits
- Cranberries
- Raisins
- Apricots
- Figs
- Prunes
- Goji
Nuts
- Pine nuts
- Almonds
- Redskin peanuts
- Pistachio
- Walnuts
- Brazil nuts
- Cashew nuts
Prices vary and the same store often sells nuts in different locations although in the same store and at different prices! Some nuts are cheaper in Tesco, others are cheaper in ASDA. But there is never a rule.
Seeds
- Pumpkin
- Sunflower
- Sesame
- linseed
Herbs & Spices
As described in the "Preparing the Honey Hot Mix" section below.
Let's start!
Chopping the Nuts
Larger nuts might need to be chopped a little but nothing is compulsory in this recipe :) I have started using my Kenwood food processor, but careful as your nuts can quickly turn into flour with these machines. You only need to “reduce” the size of larger nuts. That’s all.
Larger nuts might need to be chopped a little but nothing is compulsory in this recipe :) I have started using my Kenwood food processor, but careful as your nuts can quickly turn into flour with these machines. You only need to “reduce” the size of larger nuts. That’s all.
Chopping the Fruits
I cut large fruits like figs and prunes into little bits using kitchen scissors. Please be careful with scissors as your blood is not in the list.
I cut large fruits like figs and prunes into little bits using kitchen scissors. Please be careful with scissors as your blood is not in the list.
Roasting nuts, seeds and cereals
Ingredients can be roasted and then stored for later. To roast the ingredients, I use my large stir frying pan. I put it on the large gas fire and roast one ingredient at a time. It is very important to avoid burning the ingredients. The purpose of the roasting is to dry the ingredients that little extra to gain more crunchiness and a slight roasty taste, but please avoid burning as black burnt is linked cause to diseases (you can find out more yourself). To avoid so, one suggestion is to constantly move the ingredients in the pan, I use my well trained elbow to make the ingredients jump and rotate in the pan, but not everyone can do that so you will need a good "silicone spatula" (to resist the high roasting temperatures) to constantly clear and regenerate the bottom of the pan. Five minutes or less of high fire are enough for each ingredient (small seeds need even less time). You do not roast the fruits, of course.
Ingredients can be roasted and then stored for later. To roast the ingredients, I use my large stir frying pan. I put it on the large gas fire and roast one ingredient at a time. It is very important to avoid burning the ingredients. The purpose of the roasting is to dry the ingredients that little extra to gain more crunchiness and a slight roasty taste, but please avoid burning as black burnt is linked cause to diseases (you can find out more yourself). To avoid so, one suggestion is to constantly move the ingredients in the pan, I use my well trained elbow to make the ingredients jump and rotate in the pan, but not everyone can do that so you will need a good "silicone spatula" (to resist the high roasting temperatures) to constantly clear and regenerate the bottom of the pan. Five minutes or less of high fire are enough for each ingredient (small seeds need even less time). You do not roast the fruits, of course.
After roasted I throw the ingredients in a big cooking pot (no plastic as hot nuts can melt plastic containers), and leave to cool down. You may also roast more than needed and store in sealed plastic bags to avoid humidity being absorbed back inside these now very dry and crunchy ingredients. Next week it will be much easier to prepare more Torrone if your ingredients have already been prepared and sealed.
I keep three separate bags (the same designed for freezing food); one for "roasted cereals", one for "roasted nuts and seeds" and one for "mixed fruits" and store them in a cool and dark cupboard for future use.
Now every time you run short of bars, all you need is to mix the content of the three bags.
Preparing the Honey Hot Mix
Find a recycled jam glass jar and fill this with:
Find a recycled jam glass jar and fill this with:
- ¾ of honey
- 3 pinches of salt
- 4 tablespoons of fructose
- finely finely chopped fresh red chillies, fresh ginger, fresh rosemary, fresh sage, fresh orange or lemon skins
- a tiny pinch of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg
- one teaspoon of vanilla concentrate or chopped vanilla stick.
Put in the jar in the microwave and jump to the next sections. You DO NOT NEED TO HEAT THE JAR JUST YET. When I tell you later you will come back to the jar and the microwave and give it 30 seconds, stir it well and again in for another 30 seconds.
---- WARNING ----
Don't leave the microwave unattended to avoid a mess overflowing. Then be very careful as the jar can become VERY HOT and very liquid. VERY DANGEROUS.
I forgot the microwave with the honey once and the smoke of burnt honey was trapped in the microwave for 6 months after and it was not pleasant at all.
Preparing the cooling surface
I use the kitchen worktops. I clean it thoroughly with bleach. I dry well and then pour one spoon of XV olive oil on the surface which I then spread around like the size of a large pizza with the fingers on the surface. It is on this surface that we will transfer the hot Torrone mix to flatten and leave to cool down. The oil is to avoid this sticking to the worktop.
I use the kitchen worktops. I clean it thoroughly with bleach. I dry well and then pour one spoon of XV olive oil on the surface which I then spread around like the size of a large pizza with the fingers on the surface. It is on this surface that we will transfer the hot Torrone mix to flatten and leave to cool down. The oil is to avoid this sticking to the worktop.
Preparing the hot Torrone Mix
Now it is time to make the Torrone mix. I put one cup of cereals mix, one cup of nuts and seeds and one cup of mixed fruit all in one large deep pan (the stir fry pan is not suitable this time). Switch the gas on and never stop steering to avoid burning. Do not leave unattended. Obviously the ingredients have already been roasted, this heating process is only to allow the liquid honey to mix well with the ingredients. When ingredients are getting hot, throw in the hot jar’s content on top (remember the microwave 30+30 seconds). Continue steering fast and constantly. I use a spatula also to clean the jar and to mix. The mix needs to be hot so the hot honey reaches everywhere but once this is done you are done. This means two minutes of good mixing is enough on high heat.
Now it is time to make the Torrone mix. I put one cup of cereals mix, one cup of nuts and seeds and one cup of mixed fruit all in one large deep pan (the stir fry pan is not suitable this time). Switch the gas on and never stop steering to avoid burning. Do not leave unattended. Obviously the ingredients have already been roasted, this heating process is only to allow the liquid honey to mix well with the ingredients. When ingredients are getting hot, throw in the hot jar’s content on top (remember the microwave 30+30 seconds). Continue steering fast and constantly. I use a spatula also to clean the jar and to mix. The mix needs to be hot so the hot honey reaches everywhere but once this is done you are done. This means two minutes of good mixing is enough on high heat.
Molding and Cooling down
When the mix is a nice gluey mix (two minutes of good elbow steering), turn off the fire and transfer the content of the pan on the prepared oiled worktop. Use the spatula to clean the pan. Now mold the mix in the shape of a round cake as thick as those "processed" cereal bars you buy from the shops. Half an inch-ish.
I then press the ingredients together using an oiled chopping board and applying weight on top of the molded mix in order to obtain a compact flat sort of cake of around half inch thickness, as in the picture below. I also use my “clean” hands to mold the edges of the round flat cake.
When the mix is a nice gluey mix (two minutes of good elbow steering), turn off the fire and transfer the content of the pan on the prepared oiled worktop. Use the spatula to clean the pan. Now mold the mix in the shape of a round cake as thick as those "processed" cereal bars you buy from the shops. Half an inch-ish.
I then press the ingredients together using an oiled chopping board and applying weight on top of the molded mix in order to obtain a compact flat sort of cake of around half inch thickness, as in the picture below. I also use my “clean” hands to mold the edges of the round flat cake.
A couple of hours later, when the torrone is cold, you need a big kitchen knife to separate it from the worktop and to slice the cake into portions which you can then roll inside cling film separately (well sealed from humidity). I store them in the fridge if I intend to keep them for longer than a week.
ENJOY!
