Turron de Jijona is Spanish soft nougat, full of delicious almond and honey flavor. Easy to make it’s a great Holiday food gift or serve it to guests as an after dinner treat.
When I lived in Spain, I think it’s fair to say you could not get through the festive season without having turron at least once. You could barely pass a store selling food without it being front and center in the window. Bars upon bars filled the shelves at Christmas-time and you definitely wouldn’t have a party without it. It’s something my parents bring back from Spain regularly and so I sometimes enjoy it if I am visiting.
Since this week’s Sunday Supper is all about homemade food gifts, I knew it would make a great choice as something a little different from your more common cookie (especially since I’ve already shared cranberry gin which makes the best gift!).
What is turron?
Turron (or turrón as it is correctly spelt in Spanish) is Spanish nougat and comes in various forms. The two classics are turron de Alicante, which has whole nuts in a kind of honey candy. It’s hard and brittle and while tasty, I always worried I was about to break a tooth on it. The other main kind is turron de Jijona. This kind is soft, made with ground almonds and is a little like marzipan but to me at least, a lot tastier.
As with many Spanish dishes, turron is not difficult to make and does not have many ingredients. However, the quality of those ingredients is important. Ideally, you should use Marcona almonds and grind them yourself to ensure you get as much of the almond oil in the final product as possible.
It might seem a bit weird being slightly oily, but really that’s kind of a good thing for this. I, however, do not have a grinder so instead used the best pre-ground almonds available. You also want to use a good honey as the flavor definitely comes through.
How to make turron de jijona
All you do is:
- Warm the honey with the sugar.
- Add the cinnamon and a little lemon zest then whisk in the egg white.
- Mix in the ground almonds then press it into a lined dish.
- Cover the top and weigh it down, chilling in the fridge, overnight.
Turron is a classic Spanish sweet treat for the festive season that I think we should all adopt. The little bites of are full of delicious almond and honey flavor that is enjoyed by young and old alike. Easy to make and perfect for gifting. Or just dig in yourself. There’s no judgement here.
Try these other treats perfect for gifting:
- Blueberry raspberry chocolate bark
- Stollen (German Christmas cake)
- Kolache cookies
- Cranberry truffles.
Plus get more inspiration in the Holiday ideas.
Turron de Jijona (Spanish soft nougat)
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup honey 200g
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar 8tbsp icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 lemon zest (approx 1/2 lemon or a little less)
- 1 egg white
- 3 cups ground almonds/almond flour 300g (ground at home if you can if not bought)
Instructions
- Line 2 6x4in dishes with cling wrap/film.
- Warm the honey over a medium-low heat in a skillet/frying pan. Whisk in the confectioners sugar and keep stirring until it is blended in. Continue to warm a couple minutes then add the cinnamon and lemon zest.
- Mix the cinnamon and lemon in well then remove the pan from the heat and add the egg white. Whisk it in quickly to ensure it is well mixed. Don't worry that it initially get white streaks, but do mix it well or you will get chunks of egg white in there even after mixing which you don't really want.
- Return to the heat, warm a minute then stir in the almonds. Mix through well then divide evenly between the two lined dishes. Press the mixture down well, getting it into the corners and flattening the top. Cover the top then weigh it down. Leave to chill and compress overnight in the fridge before removing by lifting up by the cling wrap/film. Cut into chunks to serve. Best kept refrigerated but it will keep well.
Nutrition
See all the other Holiday food gift ideas being shared today:
Baked Goods
- Cinnamon and Spice Granola by Simple and Savory
- Coconut Macaroon Tarts by Asian In America
- Cranberry Coffee Cake by Food Done Light
- Mini Pumpkin Breads by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Snowman Poop by Palatable Pastime
Candy
- A Trio of Brittle by The Freshman Cook
- Homemade Peanut Brittle by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Homemade Twix Bars by Pies and Plots
- Peanut Butter Fudge by Family Around The Table
- Superfoods Fruit & Nut Bites by My Life Cookbook
- Toffee Candied Peanuts by New South Charm
- Turron de Jijona (Spanish Soft Nougat) by Caroline’s Cooking (you’re here!)
Chocolate
- Espresso Fudge by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
- Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix by My Imperfect Kitchen
- Peppermint Bark Candy by Life Tastes Good
- Peppermint Bark Popcorn by A Mind “Full” Mom
- Red Wine Hot Fudge Sauce by The Crumby Cupcake
Jams, Syrups, Drinks
- Blood and Sand Jam by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Creamy Lemoncello by Monica’s Table
- Warm Gingerbread Syrup by Food Lust People Love
Mixes and Spices
- Cherry Almond Scone Mix by Baking Sense
- Cranberry Almond Quick Bread Mix by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Ellen says
Would make a lovely gift.
Caroline's Cooking says
Indeed it would!
Cliona Keane says
I love these! They are the perfect gift for Christmas. I’m all about homemade gifts this year so they’re going on my list of things to make!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, yes it would be great as a gift.
Mary Bostow says
I love how easy these are to make! Plus I pretty much always have these ingredients in my pantry. They’ll be great for a quick last minute treat for when I’m wanting something sweet!
Caroline's Cooking says
Yes, it’s nice and easy and agree, great for a last-minute treat!
Tracy says
I’ve never heard of these! I love the combo of almond and honey flavors. I can’t wait to try them!
Caroline's Cooking says
Almond and honey really do go so well!
Caitlyn Erhardt says
This sounds wonderful! I have never heard of this before, but the flavors sound amazing!
Caroline's Cooking says
It’s a delicious combination!
linda says
This looks fantastic, caroline. I love these Turon de Jijona! Thanks for sharing it at Fiesta Friday! 🙂
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks Linda, it’s so tasty.
Eileen says
Oh, I can’t wait to try this recipe. It’s right up my alley.
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks Eileen, I hope you enjoy!
Cindys Recipes and Writings says
This looks so soft and chewy!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, it is and tasty too!
sarah says
What a delicious addition to the sweet table!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks Sarah!
Denise Wright says
The flavors in this sound wonderful…almonds, honey, lemon zest….yum! I’m going to have to try this over the holidays just for myself. My dad would have LOVED this.
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks Denise, it’s a delicious mix, hope you enjoy!
Hezzi-D says
I love nougat but I don’t think I’ve ever had it homemade. It sounds tasty!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, it’s really easy to make and the flavors are so delicious.
Liz says
Oh, boy, would I love to receive a bag of this torron for the holidays! What delicious flavors!!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks Liz, the flavors are indeed so good!
Kristen Chidsey says
The flavors that are added to this nougat are incredible!! And I want that whisk–my papa had one just like it and I love it!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks Kristen, the flavors are so good. And that whisk is from my mum, I love it too!
Christie says
I’m not a huge fan of nougat, but this one sounds delicious! I bet it tastes nothing like that stuff in candy bars I don’t like. I’m just going to have to try it and find out!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks Christie, this is really so much better than your typical nougat so do give it a try. Hope you enjoy!