Turrón de Vino

Pilar Hernandez’s Turrón de Vino whips egg whites, sugar and wine together above a gently boiling water bath. It offers her alternative to the wine-syrup method she remembers from her grandmother’s kitchen, with chopped walnuts scattered over the finished foam.

A bowl is positioned above a shallow pan of boiling water, with the water kept below the bowl so it heats the mixture through steam. The egg whites, sugar and wine go into the bowl together, leaving the walnuts aside.

A hand mixer starts at low speed and then beats at high speed until the mixture reaches stiff meringue peaks. The bowl is lifted away from the bath and beating continues until the foam cools.

For the refrigerated serving option, the foam is portioned into small bowls and chilled until serving. Chopped walnuts finish it; Hernandez permits the nuts to be toasted in a pan beforehand if desired.

The recipe also allows the cooled foam to be served immediately with walnuts. When making it a day ahead, Hernandez keeps the nuts aside and gives the foam a quick final beat before serving.