Sicilian Almond Tuono

The Greeks introduced the cultivation of almonds, one of the oldest and richest in history The temperate climate and the specific characteristics of the soil of Avola, mean that the almonds
grown in this area are a concentration of nutrients and well-being, which nutritionists recommend consuming daily. The Tuono variety is characterised by its soft shell, sweet taste and although it is less rich in oil than other varieties, it is much appreciated both in the preparations of
confectionery and by the confectionery industry. It is excellent to use in many confectionery preparations including marzipan for the production of almond milk. vacuum-packed, the product is 34/36 calibre and is natural, therefore with the skin as in the photo.

suggestion: Bagnara Calabra IGP nougat. First of all, the sugar must be cooked: it must be cooked together with the unpeeled almonds, in the Martiniana version, over direct heat at a temperature of 160/200° C, until, while stirring mechanically, it reaches a brown colour, defined as "a monk's coat". Egg whites or egg albumen are added and the process is slow-cooked: the aim is to obtain a sugary mass that has a glassy consistency at room temperature, which is easily "fractured" when subjected to pressure. This characteristic - called "glassy breakage" - is fundamental for the achievement of the final product. At this point, the cinnamon and clove powder are added (vanillin and/or essential citrus oils can also be added); in the "Torrefatto glazed" version, unpeeled toasted almonds are also added. Mix until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. Finally, the mixture can be poured into suitable moulds and left to cool until it reaches a temperature that allows handling.
When it has cooled down, it is time to portion the mixture and give it its characteristic shape: this step can be done manually, with a knife, or mechanically. After the delicate portioning process, the next step is the glazing: it is necessary to dissolve the caster sugar in water and essential citrus oils and cook it at a temperature of 110/118° C until a sugar syrup is obtained. In the "Torrefatto glazed" version, bitter cocoa powder is also added. Now you can dip the "naked" forms of nougat in the syrup and, then, drain them to eliminate the excess. Here, however, a distinction must be made for the two variants of nougat: for the "Torrefatto glazed" one, once the product is dried, the glazing is completed also on the lower face of the nougat, it is cleaned from the possible drippings of the glaze and it is brushed with the syrup ("nastratura") to give it the peculiar smooth external surface; for the "Martiniana" one, the shapes just dipped in the syrup and slightly drained are passed in the raw sugar, avoiding the formation of lumps during the cooling and simply letting them dry at room temperature.