1 baking tray or dish 20 x 22 cm to put the torrone mixture into to form into a candy
several bowls to mix the various components
2 pots for heating the various parts during the nougat candy making
1 electric hand mixer or stand mixer to whip the egg whites
1 cooking thermometer to check the temperatures of the various liquid mixtures as you are cooking
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350° F | 180° C. When it has reached the temperature, put all the nuts on a baking sheet and toast them for 5 minutes, turning once, then set aside. You can turn off the oven as you will not be baking the torrone.
Put the egg whites and 10 grams of granulated sugar in a small bowl with high sides and whip them with an electric hand mixer until the egg whites form soft peaks, and set aside.
Put the honey in a pot on the stove over a very low flame and, stirring constantly, bring it to 265° F | 130° C, using a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature.
In another pot, add the water and sugar over very low heat and bring it to 290° F | 145° C, stirring frequently and monitoring the temperature.
As soon as the honey reaches 265° F | 130 °C, turn off the heat and add it by the spoonful to the whipped egg white mixture, folding it together carefully so as not deflate the egg whites.
Put the mixture back into the pot where you cooked the honey.
When the sugar syrup has reached 290° F | 145° add it to the pot with the honey mixture and whip it together with the electric hand mixer with whisk attachment or whisk by hand, until the mixture thickens and turns a frothy white color. It will take about 15 minutes whisking by hand.
Add the toasted nuts, the lemon zest and the vanilla extract and stir to combine. Put the pot back on the stove over low heat and stir for several minutes until the mixture hardens further and turn off the heat.
Place a sheet of wafer paper at the bottom of a baking tray or pan. Spread the torrone mixture over the rice paper in an even layer. Once it is evenly distributed, press another piece of wafer paper on top to cover evenly.
Leave to cool at room temperature for 12 hours. To serve, remove from the pan and cut into bite sized pieces or slightly larger rectangles or squares.