This homemade Turrón de Jijona is a soft Spanish almond nougat made with toasted, ground almonds, honey, powdered sugar, and a little lemon zest. The mixture is pressed into a parchment-lined mold and refrigerated for 24 hours before cutting into nine bars. Allow 35 minutes for preparation and cooking, plus the full chilling time.
Why You'll Love this Turrón de Jijona
- Five ingredients: A short ingredient list keeps the focus on the toasted almonds and honey.
- No oven needed: The almonds are toasted in a frying pan, and the syrup is cooked on the stovetop.
- Prepared ahead: The turrón chills in its mold for a full day, leaving just the slicing for serving time.
In Spain, turrón is a sweet we enjoy throughout the year, especially at Christmas and other celebrations. There are so many varieties, but turrón de Jijona is one of my favorites for its soft texture and how easy it is to make at home. Its almond-and-honey flavor brings back memories of festive occasions and holidays, which makes preparing it feel special to me.
Ground almonds give this turrón a different character from Turrón de Alicante, which keeps the almonds whole in a firm, crunchy nougat. Serving the two together offers a contrast in texture while keeping the familiar almond-and-honey flavors. For another variation, my white chocolate almond nougat uses a creamy chocolate base with nuts and amaretti biscuits.
Key Ingredients in Turrón de Jijona
You'll find the exact measurements in the recipe card. Here's what to use for this version:
- Whole blanched almonds: Give the turrón its rich, nutty flavor and body. Toasting deepens their flavor, while grinding distributes the almonds throughout each bar.
- Honey: Adds floral sweetness and its distinctive flavor, complementing the toasted almonds.
- Powdered sugar: Provides sweetness and helps the cooked syrup set, giving the turrón enough structure to slice.
- Egg white: Adds lightness when whipped and helps bind the syrup and ground almonds together.
- Lemon zest: Adds a fresh citrus aroma that balances the rich almond flavor and sweetness.
How to Make Turrón de Jijona
You can find the complete printable recipe with measurements below. These four steps give you an overview of the method:
1. Prepare the mold and almonds. Line the mold with parchment paper, leaving an overhang. Toast the almonds in a dry frying pan, stirring frequently, until golden. Let them cool completely, then pulse in a food processor until finely ground.
2. Whip the egg white and cook the syrup. Beat the egg white to stiff peaks. In a small saucepan, gently heat the honey until it begins to bubble, then stir in the powdered sugar. Continue heating until a candy thermometer registers the soft-ball stage.
3. Combine the mixture. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the lemon zest. Add the whipped egg white a little at a time, stirring thoroughly after each addition. Gradually stir in the ground almonds until you have an evenly combined, thick paste.
4. Shape, chill, and slice. Transfer the paste to the lined mold, press it into the corners, and smooth the surface. Cover and refrigerate for the full chilling time. Lift out using the parchment paper and cut into nine bars with a sharp knife.
Tips for Turrón de Jijona
- Move the toasted almonds out of the pan: Spread them on a plate to cool. Leaving them in the hot frying pan allows them to keep browning after you turn off the heat.
- Check the powdered sugar for lumps: Sift it before starting if it looks clumpy, so you aren't trying to break up dry lumps while working with hot syrup.
- Grate only the yellow zest: Use a light touch and rotate the lemon as you grate. Avoid the white pith underneath, which can add bitterness.
- Set up before heating the syrup: Have the lined mold, prepared almonds, zest, and utensils within reach. Once the syrup is ready, you can move through the remaining steps without stopping to prepare equipment.
Chilling Before Serving
Keep the turrón covered in its mold in the refrigerator for the full 24 hours before slicing. Plan to make it at least a day before you want to serve it; the chilling time is part of the recipe, in addition to the preparation and cooking time.
How to Store
Once set, keep the turrón in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Place parchment paper between stacked bars to prevent them from sticking, and take out only the portions you plan to serve.
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Recipe
Turrón de Jijona (Spanish Soft Almond Nougat)
Ingredients
- 250 g whole blanched almonds
- 1 large egg white
- 50 g honey
- 200 g powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Line an approximately 8¼ × 3⅛-inch (21 × 8 cm) mold with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang to lift out the finished turrón.
- Place 250 g whole blanched almonds in a dry frying pan and toast for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
- In a clean bowl, beat 1 large egg white until stiff peaks form. Separately, pulse the cooled toasted almonds in a food processor until finely ground, stopping before they turn into almond butter.
- Place 50 g honey in a small saucepan and heat gently until it begins to bubble. Add 200 g powdered sugar and stir until incorporated. Continue heating gently until the syrup reaches the soft-ball stage, 113 °C-116 °C, on a candy thermometer. Keep the thermometer tip in the syrup without touching the bottom of the pan. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Stir 1 teaspoon lemon zest into the syrup. With the saucepan off the heat, add the whipped egg white a little at a time, stirring thoroughly after each addition until evenly incorporated.
- Gradually add the ground almonds, stirring until the mixture forms a thick, evenly combined paste.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared mold. Press firmly into the corners and smooth the surface with a spatula. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Lift the turrón out using the parchment paper, unwrap, and cut into 9 bars with a sharp knife.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
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