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Torrone dei morti
Chocolate hazelnut bar
Torrone dei morti: Naples' soft chocolate and hazelnut bar for All Souls' Day
In Naples, the weeks around All Souls' Day on 2 November are 'torrone time': pastry shops pile up the torrone dei morti, a soft bar of white or dark chocolate filled with a creamy hazelnut or chocolate centre and studded with whole toasted hazelnuts, which friends bring as a gift when visiting. Despite its name it contains no nougat. This homemade version layers dark chocolate around a white-chocolate and hazelnut-paste filling. It is gluten free; some versions add liqueur, this one doesn't. Chef's tip: let the chocolate shell set fully in the fridge before filling, so it doesn't melt through.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz dark chocolate (60–70%)
- 7 oz white chocolate
- 3 ½ oz smooth hazelnut paste
- 4 oz whole hazelnutstoasted and skinned
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or cocoa butter (optional)optional, for shine
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Line a 25 × 10 cm loaf tin with cling film. Melt two-thirds of 10 ½ oz dark chocolate (60–70%) (with 1 tbsp coconut oil or cocoa butter if using) gently over simmering water.
5 minStep 2: Pour it into the tin and tilt to coat the base and sides evenly. Pour the excess back. Chill for 15 minutes until set.
Step 3: Melt 7 oz white chocolate gently, stir in 3 ½ oz smooth hazelnut paste until smooth, then fold in 4 oz whole hazelnuts. A common mistake is overheating white chocolate, which turns it grainy; keep it barely warm.
5 minStep 4: Pour into the chocolate shell, smooth and chill for 30 minutes.
Step 5: Melt the rest of the dark chocolate and pour over to seal. Chill for 2 hours, until firm.
Step 6: Turn out and slice with a warm knife. Keep cool.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 220 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does torrone dei morti take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
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