Super-Tasty, Compellingly Terrific Spanish Turrón Cream
Spreadable, spoonable goodness at the Candy Store
Up until a few weeks ago, I’d never even imagined anything like turrón cream existed! It’s seriously so good, I keep going back to the jar for “just another spoonful.” Given that it’s not all that big of a jar, I’d better grab another since I’ve almost finished my first!
To be clear, there’s no actual cream in turrón cream. “”Cream” describes the texture, not the usual dairy product we all associate with the word. The actual ingredient list is happily brief—just a whole bunch of the very special Spanish varietals of Marcona and Comuna almonds, the wonderful orange blossom honey that is so well known in the area, plus a bit of egg white and sugar, all finely ground together to make a magical, butterscotch-colored paste. Per the name, it is essentially a turrón taken out of its firmer, bar-shaped form and converted into a creamy, compellingly flavorful almond cream. Spread on toast or eaten by the spoonful, it’s beyond terrific. You can also spoon some into one of the Bakehouse’s beautiful Cultured Butter Croissants (and help keep the positive momentum going in the process). Or put it in a sandwich or in tiny tartlets with some jam—my vote is for apricot, of course. (Wondering why apricots are getting so much attention from me right now? Read this.)
The turrón cream at the Candy Store comes from the town of Jijona—or Xixona in the old, traditional Valencian language—in southeastern Spain. In 1961, Coloma García purchased the machinery of Eliseo Miquel, a local turrón maker whose family history went back nearly 200 years. Today, the confectioner is run by the next generation and is still located in Coloma García’s small hometown of Jijona.
While turrón cream is new to us, turrón itself dates all the way back to the 15th century, when honey and almonds were being combined to make this now-famous Spanish sweet. In an era in which chocolate was unknown in Europe, turrón was at the top of the list of confectionery achievements. The nuts, now famously known as “Spanish almonds,” were brought to the Iberian Peninsula by Arabs arriving from North Africa.
To be clear, the Spanish almonds used in all Coloma Garcia products are not interchangeable with the more common offerings that we see from California. Average almond yields in the Golden State are about 3,000 pounds per acre. In Spain, it’s about 100! Spanish almonds generally have less moisture and hence far more intense flavor. The almond varietals are different in Spain as well. As usual, you really can taste the difference.
The turrón cream we carry comes in a lovely little jar. A great gift for any almond lover, a terrific item to brighten a winter Tuesday, and a lovely way to deliver a bit of southern Spanish beauty to somebody’s afternoon! Turrón terrificness is ready to take your morning toast to the next level!
Try turrón cream
