Chilean turrón de arrope de uva is a soft, creamy meringue dessert made by cooking a sugar syrup to the thread stage, adding arrope (reduced grape syrup) and thickening it, then beating it hot into stiff egg whites until cool, and finishing with lemon zest and chopped walnuts or almonds. It takes 20 minutes of preparation plus 10 minutes of cooking and serves 4 people.
It is a long-standing Chilean dessert, easy to make when you have arrope, which is why it has become rarer as arrope is harder to find.
How to Make Turrón de Arrope?
In Chile, arrope de uva is the syrup obtained by boiling País grape juice down by about 60 percent. It is combined with a sugar syrup and beaten into egg whites, like an Italian meringue.
Nutritional Information
Each serving of arrope turrón contains approximately 300 kcal, 50 g of carbohydrates, 5 g of fat, 5 g of protein, 1 g of fiber, 45 g of sugars, 0 mg of cholesterol, and 50 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Homemade Chilean Turrón de Arrope de Uva Recipe
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 6 egg whites
- 1 cup of arrope de uva (grape syrup)
- 1 cup of sugar
- Lemon zest
- Chopped walnuts or almonds
- Grapes, to serve
Instructions
- In a medium pot, dissolve the sugar in a little cold water and boil until it reaches the thread stage. Remove from the heat, add the arrope little by little, return to the heat, and boil over medium-low heat until slightly thickened.
- In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites into a meringue, then pour in the hot arrope syrup gradually, beating constantly so it does not set, and keep beating until the mixture is cool.
- Finally, fold in the lemon zest and chopped walnuts or almonds. Serve in individual bowls with grapes if you like. It can also be stored in jars for up to 30 days.
Additional Tips
Reach the thread stage
The syrup is ready when it falls from a spoon in a thin thread that holds in the air.
Pour in a stream
Pour the hot syrup down the side of the bowl in a thin stream while beating at high speed; the heat cooks the egg whites.
Top with a drunken grape
Traditionally, each serving was crowned with a grape preserved in aguardiente.
| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrope de uva | Molasses or date syrup | 1:1 | Less fruity |
| Walnuts | Toasted almonds or hazelnuts | 1:1 | Different crunch |
| Lemon zest | Orange zest | 1:1 | Sweeter aroma |
| Fresh grapes | Grapes in aguardiente | 1 per serving | Traditional |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What texture should arrope turrón have?
Unlike hard European turrón, it is creamy, airy, and soft, like an enriched Swiss or Italian meringue with a glossy café au lait color.
2. How long does it keep?
Thanks to the sugar, it keeps up to 30 days in clean, airtight glass jars in a cool, dark place or the refrigerator.
3. What is a drunken grape?
A grape preserved in aguardiente or strong chicha at harvest time, traditionally placed on top of each serving.
4. What nuts go best?
Chopped walnuts are the classic choice, but toasted almonds or Chilean hazelnuts also work.
What Is Turrón de Arrope?
Turrón de arrope is a traditional Chilean soft nougat, really a grape-syrup meringue, served in small bowls with walnuts.
The Arrope Tradition
Arrope is made in central Chile by slowly reducing grape juice from País grapes into a thick, dark syrup, a practice dating to colonial times.
Did You Know?
Turrón de arrope was traditionally served in winter at saint’s day celebrations, festivities, or when visitors arrived.
