Not easy to prepare, but worth the effort. Rice paper not always easy to find. Good luck!!!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (about 2 cups) strained orange-blossom honey
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 Tbs. white corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1-1/2 cups unblanched almonds, whole (or an equal amount of pistachios or hazelnuts)
  • 1 Tbl. vanilla extract
  • Optional: 2 squares edible rice paper (available from certain Italian confectioners or Oriental food shops)

Directions

Place the honey, a pinch of the salt, 1-1/2 cups of the sugar, the corn syrup, and water in a heavy saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, and then cook until it reaches the large thread stage (219* on the candy thermometer). Remove from the heat. Beat the egg whites with the rest of the salt in a bowl (preferably of unlined copper) until foamy. Beat in the rest of the sugar and beat the whites until they stand in soft peaks. Rapidly incorporate the beaten whites into the hot honey mixture, beating vigorously. Place pan back on the fire and stir occasionally until the mixture reaches the hard ball stage (246* on the candy thermometer). Immediately stir in the nuts and vanilla, mix well, remove from the fire, and pour into a square baking tin lined with a sheet of edible rice paper (or a buttered tin, lined with a sheet of buttered aluminum foil dusted with an even coating of sifted confectioners' sugar. Top with another sheet of rice paper (or a buttered, sugared foil) and place a board with a weight on it over the paper ( or foil)Leave until cool and then cut in rectangles about 1-1/2 inches long by 1 inch wide (if foil has been used, peel off; if using edible rice paper keep it on the candy. Store in an airtight container when absolutely cool.


Makes about 35 pieces

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Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: My files
Submitted By: Eileen Werth
crzylegs@erols.com
TORRONE CASALINGO