One of the favorite Christmas sweets by the Italians
In Italy there are some sweets that have become the symbol of the period of the Christmas holidays in Italian culture as the Torrone. In fact, this holiday celebrates birth, family and sharing and for this reason foods are put on the table that embody these values.
One of the Italian traditions still in use today is to give a piece of nougat for Christmas as a sign of good luck for the year ahead. This dessert has a fascinating and ancient history to discover. There are different varieties of nougat depending on the city in which it is produced, such as the two most important cities for the production of this Christmas cake, namely Cremona and Benevento.
What is nougat?
Torrone is a typical Italian dessert that is put on the table during the Christmas period. Its name comes from the Latin verb torrere which means toasting or browning. In Italy almost every region has its own typical recipe that includes the addition of different ingredients depending on the origin.
Nougat in its classic form is made from a base of egg white, honey sugar and almonds. Then the top side is covered with a layer of white wafer. The taste of this typical Italian Christmas cake depends mainly on the type of honey used for its preparation.
The history of the birth of nougat: the dispute between Cremona and Benevento
Nougat has an ancient and fascinating history that dates back to the time of the Roman Empire. In fact, at that time there was a primordial version of this dessert that was prepared to celebrate the holidays. However, according to various theories its birth could be even older because it would have arrived from the East and then spread first in Sicily and then in the rest of Italy and the world.
There are several stories and legends about the birth of this traditional cake. In particular a legend tells that the nougat was first prepared in 1441 in Cremona on the occasion of the wedding of the dukes of Milan Francesco Sforza and Bianca Maria Visconti, Il dolce fu modellato in forma del Torrazzo di Cremona.
Another legend is that the nougat was born in Benevento according to what the historian Tito Livio would have said. In fact he mentions in his writings as a gastronomic specialty of these territories the cupedia or a typical dessert very appreciated by the Romans and spread throughout southern Italy.
Torrone: the main types
One particular aspect of nougat is the fact that there are several types. One of the main criteria used to classify it is that which concerns the difference between soft nougat and hard nougat. This consists in the different cooking time as the hard dough is baked for up to 12 hours in the oven while the other is fired only for a few hours.
Other differences are those concerning the ingredients used to prepare it. In fact, another distinction is made between almond nougat and hazelnut. Each region uses particular ingredients typical of that territory.
For example in Piedmont is the nougat is prepared using the round hazelnut of the Langhe. In Veneto instead they use the almond. Other variants give the Abruzzo one in which it is also added cocoa, cinnamon and candied fruit.The variants of Sicily provide for the use of sesame seeds or even pistachios.
The other towns of Torrone
In Italy there are other cities that claim the creation of this typical Christmas cake. In a small town in Calabria, the Torrone di Bagnara is produced. Its origin comes from the combination of two typical local products, namely honey and almonds to which sugar is added. According to some testimonies it seems that already since 1700 the monks of the Abbey of Bagnara produced this cake.
The nougat from Calabria is distinguished from other types by the particular techniques used for its production. It is also made following a careful process consisting of meticulous dosing of ingredients, high-temperature cooking and the various refinement methods that give the product its final appearance.
In Sardinia there is a small town in the province of Nuoro. There are several historical testimonies that attest to the existence of nougat in Sardinia. Another city that is particularly linked to this Christmas cake is Tonara.
The artisanal processing of this nougat is carried on by generation, it is characterized by the use of high quality ingredients and by the production methods followed in a meticulous way. It is made using three main ingredients which are honey, almonds and egg white.
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