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Nougat

Whipped whites taken to a hard set by honey and sugar syrup poured in one after the other, never together.

Egg. Vegetarian, but not vegan — contains egg, honey.

Ingredients

Method

  1. THE HONEY AND THE SUGAR SYRUP GO IN ONE AFTER THE OTHER, NEVER TOGETHER. The honey first, at 121C, poured into the whipping whites; then the sugar syrup, taken higher to 145C, poured in after it. Each does a different job -- the honey gives flavour and a soft chew, the hotter sugar drives out the water that would otherwise leave you with a sticky paste that never sets. Combined in one pan and boiled together, you cannot hit both temperatures and the result is a nougat that is either bendy or brittle, whichever way you missed.
  2. A SUGAR THERMOMETER IS NOT OPTIONAL HERE. Every other sugar recipe on this site can be judged by colour; this one cannot, because both syrups stay pale. The difference between 140C and 150C is the difference between soft nougat and a slab you cannot bite, and nothing in the pan looks different.
  3. THE NUTS GO IN WARM, and straight from the oven is ideal. Cold nuts stiffen the mass on contact and you cannot fold them through evenly before it sets.
  4. IT IS BEATEN AFTER THE SECOND SYRUP UNTIL IT IS STIFF ENOUGH TO HOLD A TRAIL, 8 to 10 minutes in a stand mixer. This is where the set is decided and it cannot be judged early. A ribbon dropped on the surface should sit proud rather than sink.
  5. AND IT IS PRESSED BETWEEN RICE PAPER. Nougat sticks to everything, permanently. Rice paper underneath and on top, then a weight.
  6. A 20 by 20 cm tin lined with a sheet of rice paper.
  7. Almonds and pistachios warmed at 160C for 8 minutes and KEPT WARM in the oven with the door ajar.
  8. The honey heated alone in a small heavy pan to 121C.
  9. Meanwhile the whites and salt whipped to firm peaks in a stand mixer.
  10. The honey poured into the whites in a thin stream with the mixer on high. It will seize and then loosen.
  11. The sugar, water and glucose brought to 145C in a second pan.
  12. That syrup poured in in a thin stream, mixer still on high.
  13. BEATEN 8 to 10 MINUTES until very stiff, white and holding a trail that sits proud.
  14. The warm nuts folded in quickly with a strong spatula or the paddle.
  15. Scraped into the tin, pressed level with oiled hands, the second sheet of rice paper laid on and a board and weight set on top. Left 12 hours at room temperature, then cut with a heavy oiled knife.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under France · All recipes