Two old-world confections the grocery store barely carries: marzipan, a smooth almond-and-sugar paste shaped and colored by hand, and nougat (Italian torrone), a chewy whipped candy of honey, egg white, and whole nuts. Both are almond-forward, both are traditions, and both come from family makers here who still do them the old way.
Published July 2026 · Updated 7 Jul 2026
A South Philadelphia Italian pasticceria run by the third generation of Terminis, making torrone from pure honey, egg whites, almonds, and pistachios off a family recipe that traces to the early 1800s. Chewy, honeyed, packed with whole nuts — the real Sicilian holiday nougat. Shipped nationwide since 1992.
Why it isn't on AmazonHonest torrone made from honey and whole nuts by a century-old family bakery is a holiday-table tradition you can't find in a candy aisle — you order it from the source.
See it at Termini Brothers Bakery →One of the few real domestic marzipan makers, in Bergenfield, New Jersey, hand-shaping almond paste into the classic little fruit figures and European-style sweets. Rich almond flavor, made the traditional way rather than imported and sitting in a box. The go-to when you want American-made marzipan.
Why it isn't on AmazonHand-shaped marzipan from a small domestic maker is a rare thing — most marzipan in US stores is imported, so buying direct gets you fresher, hand-formed pieces.
See it at Bergen Marzipan →A four-generation Pennsylvania candy shop making chocolates and confections by hand since 1934, including a German-inspired handmade marzipan. Same old-fashioned techniques the founding grandparents used, now shipping across the US. A traditional family shop where marzipan sits alongside toffee, caramels, and truffles.
Why it isn't on AmazonMarzipan hand-made in a decades-old family candy shop is a small-batch confection you order direct — it's not something the grocery store stocks.
See it at O'Shea's Candies →This seat's open on purpose — we won't pad the list to hit a number. If you ship real marzipan & nougat direct, it's earned, not sold.
Add your brand →They're close cousins: both are ground almonds and sugar, but marzipan has more sugar and a finer, smoother texture, which lets it be molded and shaped like clay. Almond paste is coarser and less sweet, meant as a baking ingredient. Marzipan is the one shaped into little fruits and figures and eaten as candy.
Traditional Italian torrone is whipped egg white and honey (and often sugar) cooked and beaten until it's light, then folded with toasted whole nuts — almonds, pistachios, or hazelnuts — and sometimes citrus or vanilla. It comes soft-and-chewy or hard-and-crunchy depending on how long it's cooked. It's an ancient Mediterranean holiday sweet.
Marzipan is intensely almond — that marzipan flavor is the natural taste of almonds concentrated with sugar, and it can read as strong or even a little bitter to people used to milder candy. Quality matters a lot: good marzipan made with a high proportion of real almonds tastes clean and nutty, while cheap versions can taste harshly of almond extract.
Both are relatively durable. Marzipan, well-wrapped, keeps for weeks to a few months and can dry and firm over time — sealing it airtight keeps it pliable. Torrone also stores well sealed at room temperature; humidity is its enemy, softening the hard kind and making it sticky. Keep both cool, dry, and airtight.
Make or grow real marzipan & nougat and think you belong here? Tell us → — features are on merit, never for sale.
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© 2026 5best2buy · Worth The Hunt · No.334