pistachio cranberry torrone

3 large egg whites
1 cup honey
3 cups sugar
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
2 cups shelled pistachios
1 cup dried cranberries

Place egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine honey and sugar. Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to simmer. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, and clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot to monitor temperature.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add confectioners’ sugar and combine. When honey/sugar mixuture reaches 315 degrees Fahrenheit, remove honey mixture from heat (the temperature will continue to rise a bit). Stir until the reading drops to 300 degrees.

Turn on mixer and slowly pour hot honey into egg whites. (The mixture will double in volume. Let stand to return to normal.) Resume beating until mixture is thick and starts to stick to paddle. Fold in nuts.

Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Line with parchment paper and butter that as well, very lightly. Pour torrone mixture into lined baking dish and cover with another layer of buttered parchment paper. Let cool, then refrigerate a few hours. To cut, let torrone warm for just a few minutes. Place a very sharp, heavy knife under hot running water. With the warm knife, cut torrone into sections. Repeat with hot water for each new cut. Place sections back onto buttered parchment and store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a couple of weeks.