Turrón

Turrón or torró, as it is known in the Catalan language, is the Spanish version of the world-famous confection called nougat. This sweet delicacy typically combines roasted nuts (usually almonds, but also other types of nuts such as hazelnuts or pistachios) with honey, sugar, and whipped egg whites. A staple Christmas treat, turrón is believed to have originated in the early Middle Ages during the Moorish invasion of Spain. The name of this sweet treat is thought to have been derived from the Catalan word torrar, which in turn comes from the Latin torrere, meaning charring or roasting, an apparent reference to the use of roasted nuts. There are numerous varieties of Spanish nougat nowadays, ranging from soft and chewy to hard and brittle, to those enhanced with flavors such as chocolate or coconut, or types that are made with egg yolks or without any eggs. The two most popular varieties of Spanish nougat include the soft variety referred to as turrón blando or turrón de Jijona and the hard variety called turrón duro or turrón de Alicante, hailing from the respective Spanish towns of Jijona and Alicante. This sweet treat is often found among various gifts contained in a caga tío, a type of 'pooping log' that is an indispensable part of Spanish Christmas traditions.