Torrone di Bagnara

Torrone di Bagnara is a Calabrian nougat of honey, sugar, unpeeled roasted almonds, powdered cinnamon and cloves, protected in the EU as a PGI. Honey is compulsory: it is mixed with sugar and may be orange blossom, clear wildflower or sulla honey. The specification gives no honey percentage.

There are two versions: Martiniana, covered with granulated sugar, and Torrefatto glassato, covered with unsweetened cocoa powder. The pieces are rectangular, 4–12 cm long and 14–35 g. The texture is crunchy and crumbly; the flavour is roasted almonds, caramel and a mild aftertaste of spices. The mix is cooked over a high flame at high temperature, unlike ordinary nougat prepared in a bain-marie.

The area is the entire municipality of Bagnara Calabra, province of Reggio Calabria. The reputation dates back to 1846, when the nougat was mentioned as a speciality of a family of confectioners that later supplied the House of Savoy. The name was registered by Regulation (EU) No 882/2014, published on 14 August 2014.

Packaging must take place within four hours of cooling. The wrapper must carry the name, the words Indicazione Geografica Protetta and the logo with the Rocca di Bagnara fortress and a mermaid.

Why this matters to you: Torrone di Bagnara is nougat with honey as a compulsory ingredient but no stated percentage. The full name and the logo on the wrapper show whether it is the PGI product.