Divide the sugar, glucose syrup, water and toasted pine nuts equally between the white and dark batches. Keep the lemon and vanilla for the white batch, and all the chocolate and cocoa for the dark one. Measure the syrup with a confectionery thermometer; keep hot sugar away from bare hands.
Make ahead Prepare the trays and divide the ingredients before heating the syrup. Cut while the slabs are still slightly warm, then let the pieces cool completely before wrapping. The active preparation, cooking and one-hour cooling allowance are planning estimates; pan size, room temperature and extra batches change the time needed.
Pinoccate: White and Dark Pine-Nut Christmas Sweets
Total 1 hr 40 min · Prep 20 min · Cook 20 min · Serves 8
Method
Line two rimmed trays with baking paper and grease the paper lightly. Divide the sugar, glucose syrup, water and toasted pine nuts equally between two batches. Set out the thermometer and heatproof spatula.
For the white batch, heat its sugar, glucose syrup and water until the sugar dissolves. Bring the syrup to 120°C, measuring with the confectionery thermometer.For the white batch, heat its sugar, glucose syrup and water until the sugar dissolves. Bring the syrup to 248°F, measuring with the confectionery thermometer.
Stir in the white batch’s pine nuts, the scraped vanilla seeds and the thin lemon zest. Spread in one prepared tray about 1–2 cm thick, using the spatula rather than bare hands. As soon as just warm, lift out and cut into lozenges with a smooth-bladed knife; do not wait for the dark batch.Stir in the white batch’s pine nuts, the scraped vanilla seeds and the thin lemon zest. Spread in one prepared tray about ½–¾ in thick, using the spatula rather than bare hands. As soon as just warm, lift out and cut into lozenges with a smooth-bladed knife; do not wait for the dark batch.
Melt the dark chocolate gently over a water bath and mix in the cocoa. Keep it ready for the dark batch.
Heat the second batch of sugar, glucose syrup and water. Bring this syrup to 120°C with the thermometer, then stir in the chocolate mixture followed by the remaining pine nuts.Heat the second batch of sugar, glucose syrup and water. Bring this syrup to 248°F with the thermometer, then stir in the chocolate mixture followed by the remaining pine nuts.
Spread the dark mixture in the other lined tray, again about 1–2 cm thick. As soon as just warm, lift it out and cut into lozenges with a smooth-bladed knife before it hardens completely.Spread the dark mixture in the other lined tray, again about ½–¾ in thick. As soon as just warm, lift it out and cut into lozenges with a smooth-bladed knife before it hardens completely.
Let both colours cool completely. Serve a white and a dark piece together, or wrap only after the pieces are fully cold.
Equipment
- Confectionery thermometer
- Saucepan
- Heatproof spatula
- Two rimmed trays and baking paper
- Heatproof bowl for a water bath
- Smooth-bladed knife
- Kitchen scale
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