Every time we pass through Benevento in the colder months, we come home with a few bars of torrone in our backpack. It is the sweet that best identifies the Sannio, and we love discovering its many variations, from the hardest to the softest. Here is its story.
A sweet for everyone
Torrone of Benevento is included in the list of traditional agri-food products (PAT) of the Campania Region, among the sweets. It is not a DOP or IGP, but a recognised tradition centred on the province of Benevento. The regional fact sheet describes it as a sweet enjoyed by all social classes, made with simple but high-quality ingredients.
The basic ingredients are few: egg white, honey, almonds and hazelnuts. The rest is down to slow cooking and the hand of the maker, using traditional craft methods handed down over time.
The types
What surprised us most is the variety. The Region lists several types:
- white torrone with almonds, the classic;
- cupedia, white torrone with hazelnuts;
- soft white torrone with almonds;
- torroncino croccantino, a crunchy bar coated in chocolate.
Some are very dry and crumbly, others soft and almost creamy: we suggest tasting more than one to find your favourite.
The torrone villages
Besides the provincial capital, the regional fact sheet mentions a few towns where production has a long tradition: San Marco dei Cavoti, Santa Croce del Sannio and Montefalcone di Val Fortore. San Marco dei Cavoti in particular is famous for its croccantino, itself listed among the traditional products: we have devoted a separate article to the torrone of San Marco dei Cavoti.
An ancient story
The Region traces the tradition of torrone back to Roman times. In the seventeenth century Benevento's torrone became famous as a Christmas gift, and in the eighteenth century it was the Bourbons who promoted it, making it the festive sweet par excellence. Still today, in homes across Campania, torrone of Benevento sits on the Christmas tray next to the other traditional sweets.
Where to taste it and nearby
Look for it in Benevento, in the shops of the town centre, and in the villages of the Fortore. Between tastings, visit The Arch of Trajan and Santa Sofia and the Museo del Sannio, and read our guide Benevento and its surroundings. For another flavour of the Sannio there is Strega liqueur; for the other festive sweets we refer you to Struffoli and Roccocò (sweets). All the region's protected products are in our guide Campania's DOP and IGP products.
Sources: Campania Region, PAT fact sheet "Torrone di Benevento"; Campania Region, PAT list of sweets and pastries.
Top photo (Benevento): Dэя-Бøяg, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
