Spanish Turrón Ice Cream

Name: Spanish Turrón Ice Cream
Prep time: 4 h 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 0.75 cups (150 g) sugar; 2 cups (473 ml) whole milk; 3 medium eggs; 5.25 oz (150 g) soft Jijona turron (crumbled); 3 tbsp Malaga wine or sweet Sherry; 0.85 cups (200 ml) whipping cream

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Do you know what turrón is? It is a nougat-like confectionery mostly made with almonds, tons of almonds… and also sugar, honey and egg whites. It is typical Christmas fare all over Spain, although originating from the southeast Mediterranean coast, in the region of Valencia (check here the Spanish pronunciation of turrón). It is usually shaped into either a rectangular tablet or a round cake where almonds can be left whole or ground to a paste to yield the following traditional varieties:

Hard (the Alicante variety): A compact block of whole almonds in a brittle mass of eggs, honey and sugar; 64% almonds (premium quality).
Soft (the Jijona variety): Similar but the almonds are reduced to a paste. The addition of oil makes the matrix more chewy and sticky; 60% almonds (premium quality).

Jijona is a small town known since the Middle Ages for its excellent honey and productive almond orchards. This local produce gave birth to turrón, referenced for the first time in a document of 1531. Turrón is such a valued confection that today its formulas and quality are standardized and endorsed by a Regulation Council.

And I guess you are wondering why I am talking about Christmas now, right at the beginning of Spring. Well, because the same as turrón itself reminds any Spaniard of Christmas, ice cream flavored with Jijona turrón is a variety that no Spanish ice cream shop fails to stock during the warm season. And as in Spain it is very common to have turrón leftovers at home after Christmas, this is a wonderful way to give this traditional confection a totally different twist. And that is exactly what I did. So as warmer weather is on its way in the northern hemisphere and just in case you happen to lay your hands on a tablet of Jijona turrón, here is the recipe for this creamy, rich and very Mediterranean ice cream.

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5 from 9 reviews

Author: Miriam García
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 6
Diet: Omnivore

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Description

A taste of Christmas in summer! This ice cream features the delightful flavors of Jijona turrón, a traditional Spanish confection, creating a unique and refreshing treat.

Ingredients

Units Scale

0.75 cups (150 g) sugar
2 cups (473 ml) whole milk
3 medium eggs
5.25 oz (150 g) soft Jijona turron (crumbled)
3 tbsp Malaga wine or sweet Sherry
0.85 cups (200 ml) whipping cream

Instructions

Make the Custard:
Mix sugar, milk, and egg yolks in a saucepan.
Cook using a double boiler, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Avoid boiling to prevent curdling.
Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Flavoring:
Blend the crumbled turron with Malaga wine into a smooth paste.
Mix this paste into the cooled custard until well combined.
Combine and Freeze:
Whip the whipping cream to soft peaks and fold gently into the turron custard mixture.
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. Carefully fold these into the mixture, ensuring no white streaks remain.
Freeze the mixture, stirring every hour until fully set, or use an ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Notes

For a smoother texture, strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve before adding the turrón paste.
If Jijona turrón is unavailable, you can substitute with other nougat, adjusting sweetness as needed.
For optimal storage, transfer the frozen ice cream to an airtight container and keep it in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Freezing Time: 240 mins
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: Spanish

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 350
Sugar: 50
Sodium: 50
Fat: 20
Saturated Fat: 12
Unsaturated Fat: 8
Carbohydrates: 40
Fiber: 2
Protein: 5
Cholesterol: 100

*A note on sugar: the sugar content is a very region-dependent and even personal matter, and it should be adjusted to your liking, so I recommend you try the mixture before churning. Usually European confectioneries, pastries and sweet things in general are less sweet than for example in the United States. And remember frozen desserts should always be on the sweet side before freezing or churning, as the sweetness will be less noticeable afterwards.

And there you have it. To my taste this ice cream is so rich that I don’t need any topping or sauce on mine, but feel free to use some chocolate sauce or almond brittle…

Try another great Spanish recipe – Padron Peppers – here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is turrón and where can I find it to make this ice cream?

Turrón is a Spanish nougat made with honey, egg whites, and almonds. You can find it at Spanish or European specialty food stores, and it is also widely available online.

Do I need an ice cream maker for this recipe?

Some turrón ice cream recipes can be made without a machine by using a whipped cream base and stirring the mixture every 30 minutes as it freezes to break up ice crystals.

How finely should I chop the turrón before folding it into the ice cream base?

A rough chop into small pieces works well so you get visible chunks throughout the ice cream. If the pieces are too large they become hard to scoop through once frozen.