Prep Time : 30 + 30 Minutes | Set Time : Overnight | Total Time : 13 Hours | Difficulty : Fiddly
Hello my lovelies! One week til Santa. I trust your shopping is progressing a-pace and your halls are decked with an appropriate amount of Christmas cheer. If you still need a sweet last minute gift then this is your lucky day. I have been working on this recipe for a while now and perfected it just in time for Christmas. The universe provides. This nougat is sweet and nutty like the best of us. It has the perfect pillowy texture and a heady background of honey flavour. You will need a candy thermometer and a standing mixer (or a friend) to make this recipe. You will get a bit sticky. That’s fun and ok. While I bang on about weighing ingredients all the time, making candy is definitely where it will give you the best results. Ask Santa for a scale. You’ll never look back..
Line a large loaf pan with baking paper. Line it all over not just on the long sides in the cheaty way I do when I make a loaf. Cut a piece of edible rice wafer paper to fit the bottom. Cut a second one the same size and set aside for later.
Measure the sugar, honey and corn syrup into a heavy bottomed saucepan. Put the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer with a whisk attachment. Measure the cornstarch into a small bowl and put by the mixer.
Measure out the nuts and have them ready. If you need to toast any of them yourself do this in a 180C (350F) oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Now the fun begins. Over a low heat melt the sugar, corn syrup and honey together. Stir all the time to help the sugar dissolve. Once the syrup starts to bubble, attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and stop stirring.
While the syrup is cooking, whip the egg whites to soft peaks.
Add the cornstarch and whip until combined.
Turn the mixer off and turn your attention back to the syrup. Simmer the syrup to 150C (300F), approaching hard crack. Which is appropriate.
Turn off the heat and turn the mixer back on to a medium speed (about 4 on a Kitchenaid mixer). Pour the syrup in a thin stream into the whipping egg whites.
Be careful to avoid the side of the bowl and the whisk. It’s hard to do. There will be some hard candy nubbins on the side of the bowl…
Once all the syrup is in whisk for a further 6 to 8 minutes. This will add more volume and help it cool. It will start out quite ivory coloured because of the honey and become whiter as it whips.
Scrape all the goo off the whisk and add the nuts to the bowl.
Fold it all together. Use a wooden spoon or something similar that has no flex to it. Try not to chip any of the bits of hard syrup off the bowl into the mix.
Using the spoon and a lightly greased hand, transfer dollops to the loaf pan. Once it’s all in smooth the top. Use a lightly greased silicone spatula or your hands for this.
Take your second piece of rice paper that you cut earlier and press it down onto the top. Press it in firmly so it sticks all over.
Leave the nougat to cool and firm up for several hours or overnight. When you are ready to cut lay a sheet of baking paper down on the bench to work on. Turn the slab of nougat out and peel off the original baking paper. Use a small sharp knife to help if it’s sticking.
Mark out the squares in the rice paper on the top. Heat a sharp knife under the hot tap. Dry it off and rub a little vegetable oil on the blade. Cut your squares firmly and decisively. The quick firm cuts should chop through any nut pieces. You may need to clean off the knife and re-oil it a couple of times before all the pieces are cut.
Dust the pieces with cornstarch as you go to stop sticking.
Pack with a little extra cornstarch dusted over. If you are wrapping for gifts, make sure the wrapping is fairly airtight to prevent excess moisture being absorbed.
Make sure you do the necessary quality control testing first though…
Almond Hazelnut + Pistachio Nougat
Prep Time : 30 + 30 mins | Set Time : overnight | Total Time : 31 hours | Difficulty : fiddly | Makes : 20 x 2 inch squares
Pillowy honey flavoured nougat studded with toasted nuts – a wonderful handmade gift.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon (200 grams) sugar
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (100 grams) honey
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (100 grams) corn syrup
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3/4 cup (100 grams) toasted almonds
- 1/3 cup (50 grams) shelled pistachios
- 1/3 cup (50 grams) toasted hazelnuts
- 2 sheets edible rice wafer paper
- extra cornstarch, for handling
- vegetable oil, to grease the knife
– If using metric cups, reduce volume measures by 1 tablespoon for every cup of dry or liquid ingredients –
Equipment:
- Standing mixer
- Candy thermometer
- Large loaf pan lined with baking paper
Directions:
Line a large loaf pan with baking paper. Line it all over not just on the long sides in the cheaty way I do when I make a loaf. Cut a piece of edible rice wafer paper to fit the bottom. Cut a second one the same size and set aside for later.
Measure the sugar, honey and corn syrup into a heavy bottomed saucepan.
Put the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer with a whisk attachment. Measure the cornstarch into a small bowl and put by the mixer.
Measure out the nuts and have them ready. If you need to toast any of them yourself do this in a 180C (350F) oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Now the fun begins. Over a low heat melt the sugar, corn syrup and honey together. Stir all the time to help the sugar dissolve.
Once the syrup starts to bubble, attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and stop stirring.
While the syrup is cooking, whip the egg whites to soft peaks.
Add the cornstarch and whip until combined. Turn the mixer off and turn your attention back to the syrup. Simmer the syrup to 150C (300F), approaching hard crack. Which is appropriate.
Turn off the heat and turn the mixer back on to a medium speed (about 4 on a Kitchenaid mixer). Pour the syrup in a thin stream into the whipping egg whites.
Be careful to avoid the side of the bowl and the whisk. It’s hard to do. There will be some hard candy nubbins on the side of the bowl…
Once all the syrup is in whisk for a further 6 to 8 minutes. This will add more volume and help it cool. It will start out quite ivory coloured because of the honey and become whiter as it whips.
Scrape all the goo off the whisk and add the nuts to the bowl.
Fold it all together. Use a wooden spoon or something similar that has no flex to it. Try not to chip any of the bits of hard syrup off the bowl into the mix.
Using the spoon and a lightly greased hand, transfer dollops to the loaf pan. Once it’s all in smooth the top. Use a lightly greased silicone spatula or your hands for this.
Take your second piece of rice paper that you cut earlier and press it down onto the top. Press it in firmly so it sticks all over.
Leave the nougat to cool and firm up for several hours or overnight. When you are ready to cut lay a sheet of baking paper down on the bench to work on. Turn the slab of nougat out and peel off the original baking paper. Use a small sharp knife to help if it’s sticking.
Mark out the squares in the rice paper on the top. Heat a sharp knife under the hot tap. Dry it off and rub a little vegetable oil on the blade. Cut your squares firmly and decisively. The quick firm cuts should chop through any nut pieces. You may need to clean off the knife and re-oil it a couple of times before all the pieces are cut.
Dust the pieces with cornstarch as you go to stop sticking.
Pack with a little extra cornstarch dusted over. If you are wrapping for gifts, make sure the wrapping is fairly airtight to prevent excess moisture being absorbed.
Cook’s Notes:
- Use what nuts you have to make up 1 and 1/2 cups. Swap out some nuts for dried cherries or cranberries for a fruity variation
– Moisture is the enemy. Store at room temperature in an airtight container dusted with cornstarch for up to two weeks –
Adapted from Sugar and Spice – Sweet Treats from Around the World.
© 2016 The Winsome Baker. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.
