Turrón: An exceptional nougat

Turrón or Touron in French, is a confectionery made from almonds, honey, sugar and egg white. Often compared to the nougat of Montélimar, the Spanish Turrón has a much older history.

It is mainly presented in the form of a rectangular tablet, but also exists in a circular form. It can be soft or crunchy depending on the almonds for the traditional versions, and exists in several versions, with chocolate, egg yolk, pistachio, coconut, etc.

Origin of Turrón:

Turrón appeared in the southwest of Spain around the 8th and 9th centuries. Its recipe has been passed down from generation to generation for centuries. And it is in the cities of Jijona and Alicante where Turrón makes its strongest appearance.

It was the contribution of Muslims during the Muslim period in Spain between the 12th and 14th centuries that allowed the birth of this incredible confectionery.

Turrón: a Christmas tradition?

Turron is a sweet that is eaten mainly in November and December. The reason for this season is mainly due to the fact that the almond harvest takes place at the end of summer, so the almond production process lasts until the last months of the year.

What are the differences between Turrón de Jijona and Turrón de Alicante?

Jijona nougat is a confectionery made from crushed almonds, honey, sugar and egg white. Its texture is soft and its taste is irresistible.

The Alicante nougat , on the other hand, is more similar to the nougat of Montélimar. It is a confectionery made from whole almonds, honey, sugar, egg white and sometimes a potato wafer. Its texture is hard and its taste is incredible.

What are the differences between Spanish turron and Montélimar nougat?

Although both products are almond and honey based confections, there are many differences that make them unique products.

Soft and hard:

While most nougats from Montélimar are hard, in Spanish turron, with the exception of Alicante nougats, they are soft.

Percentage of ingredients:

Spanish nougat normally has much more almonds and even honey than the nougat of Montelimar, in the composition of the confectionery. Sugar is a very important element in the nougat of Montelimar, while for the nougat there are more almonds.

Product composition:

Spanish turron normally has only 4 to 5 ingredients and no preservatives (almonds, honey, sugar, egg white and unleavened bread), while for Montélimar nougat, there is often glucose syrup that will be added in addition to the sugar, which makes the product much sweeter than Spanish turron.

AOP of products :

- The PDO “torró de Xixona” (in Valencian) or **turrón de Jijona** (in Spanish):

is a soft and tender nougat, made from ground almonds, egg white, honey and sugar. This nougat, brown in color, is very sweet and slightly oily. It comes from the town of Xixona, in the province of Alicante.

-The PDO “torró d’Alacant” (in Valencian) or **turrón de Alicante** (in Castilian):

is, for its part, a hard nougat, made from whole almonds, egg white, honey and sugar, also originating from the province of Alicante.

Price of Spanish nougat:

The price of Spanish turron can vary depending on its quality and composition of ingredients. Avoid turron that cost €2 for a 200 gram tablet, as the list of ingredients can be very long, and contain unnatural additives.

For a quality nougat you have to go for prices of more than 35€ / kilo. A nougat from Jijona or Alicante must contain a minimum of 60% almonds and 10% honey.

Where to buy a good Spanish Turrón?

To buy a good Spanish nougat, the best thing is to go to the city of Jijona. There are several companies that make nougat of incredible quality.

For those who cannot travel, you have 3 options:

• Buying nougat in a supermarket with the risk of paying too much for poor quality.
• Buy nougat from a Spanish delicatessen in your area.
• Buy nougat in a Spanish delicatessen online like on cuisinedespagne.fr .

If you want to have the best product at the best price, the third option will probably be the most interesting for you.