Save the failed Torrone!

Torrone is an Italian nugget made from stiffly beaten egg whites and honey, cooked to a hardish candy temperature. Most of the recipes on-line are good, but they don’t tell you the correct temperature to reach on a candy thermometer (or we are all idiots and can’t cook, which is a possibility). Lots of failures, including my last batch. What happens is the nugget never sets and it remains a gooey mess. But because I am cheap, and the ingredients were costly (almonds, candied fruit, sugar and honey) I put my failed torrone into the freezer to ponder what I might make of it. It slowly dawned on me…Ice Cream! Imagine, Torrone ice cream! Wow, the decadence of it all!
Photo from Foodtv.ca

Torrone Recipe (Christine Cushing, Foodtv.ca) Yield: 36
It took me a few tries before I was satisfied with this recipe but the end result made it all worthwhile. Try it with a mixture of nuts (try hazelnuts along with the almonds) and/or candied peel (orange, lemon or lime). Yield is 36 pieces.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 3 large egg white
• 1 cup honey
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 2 cups whole almond (I also use candied citrus peel for added flavour, but you may use any of your favorite candied fruit!)

Directions:

1. Line a 13-by 9-inch pan with parchment paper.
2. Sprinkle a cutting board with cornstarch.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine honey and granulated sugar and put over medium heat.
4. When a candy thermometer registers 315 degrees F (this seems to be too low, go to a hard stage), remove pan from heat.
5. Put egg whites in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
6. Start mixer on medium.
7. When egg whites are stiff add icing sugar, scraping down the sides.
8. When the honey mixture temperature has gone down to 300 degrees F., pour honey into egg whites while mixer is running.
9. Increase speed to high until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes.
10. Fold in nuts with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
11. Scrape mixture onto cutting board with cornstarch.
12. Knead for about 4 minutes.
13. Press mixture evenly into pan.
14. Cover with another piece of parchment and let cool.
15. Cut into 36 squares with a hot knife.
16. Serve.

Make your own vanilla ice cream (which I did) or buy some ready made. Cut the torrone into small bit sized pieces and fold into ice cream. Freeze for a couple of hours. Serve cold.