Nougat Recipes

TORRONE (ITALIAN NUT AND NOUGAT CONFECTION)

Steps:

• Line an 8x11-inch baking dish with plastic wrap, allowing ends to hang over the sides. Place 1 sheet of 8x10 wafer paper in the bottom of the pan. Keep the roasted almonds and pistachios in a warm place until ready to add at the end. This makes it easier to mix them in.
• Pour honey into a heavy-bottomed pot. Add sugar. Mix and stir over low heat with a spatula, stirring constantly until mixture turns from grainy to silky and smooth, about 30 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
• Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl; add a pinch of salt. Whisk until whites form soft peaks, 3 to 4 minutes. Place pot back on low heat. Gradually whisk about a quarter of the whipped egg whites into the honey/sugar mixture; whisk in the remaining egg whites in 3 more batches.
• Continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula until mixture turns a brighter white and a ribbon of the mixture does not immediately incorporate back into the rest of the mixture and stays intact on the surface for a while. This will take about 40 minutes. You can add a few drops of the mixture into a small bowl of ice cold water to test the consistency; ideally it should feel like soft clay.
• Whisk in vanilla and lemon zest. Add warm almonds and pistachios and stir to incorporate evenly.
• Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Even out as best you can with a clean oiled spatula. Top with 2nd sheet of wafer paper, shiny side up. Cover with plastic wrap and press down evenly, tamping mixture down gently but firmly. Remove top layer of plastic.
• Allow torrone to sit at room temperature until cool, firm, and ready to cut, 1 or 2 hours. Lift torrone from baking dish with the edges of the bottom layer of plastic wrap. Invert and remove plastic from the bottom. If the plastic wrap is difficult to remove from the edges of the torrone, you can trim off the edges.
• Cut torrone into 1-inch squares using a sharp serrated knife.

CHEWY ALMOND NOUGAT

Steps:

• Heavily butter a 15x10x1-in. pan; set aside. Heavily butter a large bowl; set aside. In a stand mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture cones to a boil, about 10 minutes. (If sugar crystals are present, cover and boil for 1-2 minutes to allow steam to wash crystals down.) Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft ball stage), about 6-8 minutes., With mixer running carefully and slowly add hot liquid in a steady stream over egg whites. Beat 10 minutes longer or until mixture holds its shape and is lukewarm. (Mixture will be beginning to lose its gloss.) Transfer to prepared bowl., For almond mixture, in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and corn syrup. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a boil, about 15 minutes. (If sugar crystals are present, cover and boil for 1-2 minutes to allow steam to wash crystals down.) With a clean spoon, cook and stir over medium-high heat until a candy thermometer reads 275° (soft-crack stage), about 15 minutes longer., Pour over mixture in bowl (do not scrape saucepan). With a large wooden spoon, stir until blended. Combine butter and vanilla; gradually add to almond mixture until blended. Stir in almonds and salt until blended. Transfer to prepared pan. Let stand at room temperature for several hours or until firm. Cut into squares. Wrap in plastic or waxed paper if desired.

FLUFFY VANILLA NOUGAT

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
• Use a clean, dry stand mixer to whip the egg whites to stiff peaks with 2 tablespoons of the sugar. In the mean time, in a small saucepan, over medium heat, bring the honey to 250F on a candy thermometer. Also, at the same time, in a medium saucepan, combine the remaining 2 3/4 cups sugar, water, and corn syrup (if using). Over medium heat, bring this mixture to 300F on a candy thermometer. Carefully and gently swirl the mixtures in their pans now and then, use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush any sugar from the sides of the pan. You want the honey to hit its temp first, followed by the sugar shortly thereafter.
• With the mixer running, slowly pour the 250F honey down the side of the bowl into the egg whites. Let the mixer keep running, and as soon as your sugar mixture hits 300F, slowly pour the sugar mixture into the bowl as well, using the same technique (down the side of the bowl). Continue mixing for five minutes or so, until the temperature of the nougat is no longer hot. At this point, stir in the vanilla bean seeds and extract. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and fold in the nuts and seeds by hand.
• Transfer the nougat onto the parchment-line baking sheet, cover with another sheet of parchment and allow to cool completely. Cut into desired shapes (the cleaner you can keep your knife the cleaner your cuts will be), and wrap in squares of parchment paper, or candy wrappers. Store in an air-tight container.

CLASSIC NOUGAT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Scatter the nuts over a baking tray and toast in the oven for 10 mins, then set aside (they don't need to cool). Cut the two pieces of rice paper to fit a 20 x 20cm square tin. Line the tin with one sheet of rice paper, brush the sides of the tin with oil, then dust the tin with icing sugar.
• Put the honey into a saucepan, then in another saucepan tip in the sugar, glucose and 100ml of water. Put the egg whites in the very clean bowl of a tabletop mixer with a whisk attachment and whisk on a low speed. Heat and boil the honey until it reaches 121C on a digital cooking thermometer, then straightaway pour the honey over the egg whites and set the speed to medium. While the whites and honey are whisking, bring the sugar and water to the boil and keep boiling until the syrup reaches 145C exactly on a digital cooking thermometer. Pour the hot syrup in a slow, steady stream into the beating egg white mixture. Continue beating for about 10 mins until you have a thick, glossy, firm meringue. It's hard to over-whisk at this stage but easy to under-whisk, so keep going until the meringue looks like sticky chewing gum.
• Use a spatula to stir though the nuts (which should still be warm), the vanilla extract and a small pinch of salt. Scrape the mixture into the lined tin, then smooth over to spread the mixture out evenly (if you have an offset spatula, now is the time to use it). Finally, top with the remaining sheet of rice paper and press down. Leave the nougat to set for at least 2 hrs or overnight.
• To turn out and portion, use a spatula to loosen the edges of the nougat away from the tin, then invert the tin on to a clean board and use a sharp serated, hot knife to portion into bars or squares. The nougat will keep, stored in an airtight container, for up to a month.

SOFT VANILLA NOUGAT

Steps:

• 1 Put the ice in a medium bowl and set aside.
• 2 Put the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and set aside.
• 3 Stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil without stirring until the mixture reaches 235°F/114°C on a candy thermometer, about 6 minutes.
• 4 Begin whipping the egg whites on low speed for about 1 minute, just until they are a little frothy. Continue cooking the sugar syrup until it reaches 245°F/118°C. (If your temperature goes higher, shock the syrup by setting the pan in the bowl of ice.) Pour a splash of the syrup into the egg whites, aiming for the space between the rim of the bowl and the whisk attachment. Continue whisking as you slowly add the rest of the hot sugar syrup. Increase the mixer speed to medium and whip until the nougat reaches a full, frothy foam, about 2 minutes.
• 5 Add the vanilla seeds and salt to the nougat. Keep whipping until it forms stiff peaks, about 3 minutes more. Allow to cool in the bowl. Once it is at room temperature, it's ready to use in candy-bar production.

FRENCH ALMOND NOUGAT

Steps:

• Begin by making the mazetta: Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff; set aside. In a 1-quart saucepan, combine corn syrup, 1/4 cup water, and sugar. Clip on a candy thermometer. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until temperature reaches 242 degrees (soft-ball stage), 15 to 20 minutes. Remove sugar syrup from heat. Beating constantly on medium speed, slowly pour hot syrup into egg whites. Continue beating for 3 to 4 minutes until syrup is incorporated. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to make the nougat.
• Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with vegetable-oil spray; set aside. Place mazetta in a large bowl; set aside. In a 2-quart saucepan, combine corn syrup and sugar. Clip on candy thermometer. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, 5 to 10 minutes. Wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals.
• Over medium-high heat, cook to 280 degrees (soft-crack stage), 12 to 15 minutes, without stirring. If heat is too high, it can boil over, so watch carefully. Remove from heat; let stand for 2 minutes. Without scraping pan, pour syrup over mazetta. Working quickly, stir with a wooden spoon until almost smooth. Stir in butter, vanilla, and salt. Mix until butter is incorporated. Stir in nuts. Scrape into prepared pan, and smooth the top; you may spray your hand with vegetable-oil spray and run it over the warm candy to smooth it. Let stand at room temperature, uncovered, until firm, 4 to 6 hours.
• Spray a large cutting board generously with vegetable oil spray. Unmold nougat from pan onto sprayed surface. Cut nougat into 3-by-1-by-3/4-inch pieces or other desired shapes. Wrap each piece in cellophane or waxed paper.

CHRISTMAS NOUGAT

Steps:

• Prepare either a 9x13 baking pan for a thinner layer of nougat or an 8x8 baking pan for taller nougat squares. Line your baking pan with parchment paper.
• For either method, microwave or stovetop, it is best to melt the white chocolate with the butter before adding marshmallows.
• Microwave: In a large microwave-safe bowl combine the white chocolate chips and butter. Microwave for 1 minute on high, then stir. Continue heating in 30-second increments and stirring between each heating. Repeat until the milk chocolate is melted. Add the marshmallows and heat in 30-second increments, stirring each time until you can fully combine the marshmallows and melted white chocolate.
• Stovetop (Double Boiler): Use a large glass mixing bowl that will safely set atop your saucepan. Combine the white chocolate chips and butter. Bring a saucepan with about an inch of water to a low boil and place the bowl with the butter and white chocolate chips on top of the saucepan. Heat the white chocolate chips until fully melted. Add the marshmallows in 2-3 portions so that it melts easier with this method. Stir the marshmallows and cook until fully melted before adding the next portion of marshmallows. Continue until fully combined then remove from heat.
• Set the bowl with the nougat base aside for 2-3 minutes to cool before adding the gumdrops. *You can cut the gumdrops into smaller chunks if desired.
• Add the gumdrops and fold them into the nougat, then transfer it into your prepared baking pan. Use a lightly greased sheet of parchment paper or spatula to spread the nougat to the pan corners in an even layer.
• Transfer the nougat to your refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight to fully setup.

NOUGAT

Steps:

• Line the sides and base of a 4 by 6-inch baking pan with rice paper. Whisk the egg white in a heatproof bowl until stiff.
• Combine the sugar, glucose, honey and water in a small saucepan. Stir over very low heat until the mixture reaches the small crack stage, or 275 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. While whisking, drizzle the syrup into the egg white and continue whisking until glossy and beginning to stiffen.
• Stir in the almonds, and spread the mixture over the rice paper in the prepared pan, pressing it down well. Cover with another layer of rice paper, and place a light weight evenly over the top. Leave nougat until cold, and then cut into squares, wrap in waxed paper, and store in an airtight container.

CHRISTMAS NOUGAT CANDY WITH GUMDROPS

Steps:

• Set aside about 10 red and 10 green quartered gumdrops.
• Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
• In either a double boiler OR a large stock pan, add butter, chocolate chips and marshmallows and heat over low to medium low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is completely melted. This process can take about 10-12 minutes and must be done slowly and while stirring.
• Remove chocolate from stove heat and cool for 2 minutes.
• Fold 1 cup quartered gum drops into the mixture with a spatula.
• Spread mixture into a prepared pan. The marshmallow is sticky, so I place a sandwich bag greased with cooking spray on my hand and use that to press candy into the pan (see article for image example).
• Add 1/2 cup reserved gumdrops to the top of the nougat and gently press into the surface of the candy.
• Refrigerate Christmas Nougat overnight to set. Remove from refrigerator, remove from pan and discard the parchment paper.
• Use a sharp knife to cut into 30 squares. Serve gumdrp candy immediately or refrigerate, covered until ready to serve.