Hundreds of years ago the tradition of turrón began in Spain. Accredited to the Moors, it is  made by combining almonds and honey, and over the centuries, this natural sweet became a Christmas tradition.

Although various regions in Spain dispute its time and place of origin, most agree that Alicante was the first to inherit this nougat sweet from the Arabs, as early as the 16th century. Nowadays the largest producers of turrón are still the towns of Alicante and Jijona, on the east coast of Spain. 60% of the national production of this festive delight, approximately 11,000 tons, is produced in these towns alone, of which 15% is exported.

An important ingredient in the production of turrón is honey, and this is produced by the bees feeding on the wild flowers that bloom in the mountainsides in and around the town of Jijona. Without this honey, along with the almonds from nearby orchards, the candy makers, known as turroneros, would not be able to produce the traditional Spanish Christmas sweet. 

Alicante turrón, or turrón duro as it is known, is made by roasting, then chopping the  almonds and mixing in the honey. The mixture is then stirred constantly with large wooden spoons whilst simmering. Egg white is added to bind the mixture and it is allowed to cool. Once cooled, it is cut, wrapped in rice paper, sealed in plastic and packed. 

Jijona turrón, or turrón blando, is made differently, due to its softer texture. Once the turrón duro is cooled, it is ground up with some almond oil forming a sticky paste. Then it is reheated and beaten until it forms a smooth mix. Egg white is added as a binding agent and it is cooled in square metal containers ready to be cut into thick slices and packaged.