Nougat

Nougat

Nougat is a dessert which holds great significance for me.  I can take a bite into the gooey goodness and instantly be transported back into my childhood.  My father used to bring home bite sized pieces of nougat for me when I was pre school and l loved it...still do!  

Ingredients

The origin of the word nougat comes from the french expression "Tu nous gates" (You're spoiling us!) And if someone has made you nougat, they really are!

As this picture depicts, there are not very many ingredients required to make nougat.  Unfortunately, this does not mean that its easy  to make.  Quite the contrary!

From Provence, the tradition of nougat as a sweet served at Christmas goes back 400 years.

To begin, prepare your trays by spraying them with oil and lining them with foil and edible rice paper.

Next,  mix the sugar, water and glucose syrup in a medium pot on the stove top.  Glucose syrup is very viscous, so heat it in the microwave for 40 seconds to make it easier to pour out. Glucose syrup prevents crystalisation of the sugar.

Add two egg whites into the bowl of your mixer and allow them to reach room temperature.  Also, fill your sink with cold water.

Keeping an eye on the temperature is imperative.  When the sugar mix reaches 120 degrees Celcius, turn on your mixer to a medium speed and beat the egg whites to form soft peaks.

Once the sugar mix reaches 140 degrees Celcius, take it off the heat and place the saucepan into the filled sink until the mixture stops bubbling.  Immersing the pot into cold water stops the sugar mix from cooking further.

On the stove top

Bring to the boil

Monitor temperature

Next, pour the sugar mix into the egg whites in a slow and steady stream. Beat the mix slowly for light and airy nougat or on medium heat for a more dense finish.  A vapour will form around the mixer bowl.  This is normal, just keep pouring in the sugar mix.  Once the sugar mix is incorporated, add the vanilla essence as well as any fruit or nuts you wish to use and mix for another 30 seconds.

Resting in tray

  At this point, it is very important that you work fast.  Turn off the mixer and remove your bowl.  Using a pastry scraper, scrape the nougat into your prepared tray.  Top with further fruit and nuts, edible rice paper and a piece of baking paper that has been sprayed with oil.  Allow to rest at room temperature for 6 hours.

Once the nougat has rested, take it out of the trays and place onto a chopping board.  Fill and boil your kettle.  Using a large knife that has been plunged into boiling water ( I pour boiling water onto the blade for 10 seconds and dry it before using it), cut the nougat into desired sized pieces.

 

Bars wrapped and packed

The first time I made nougat, I made the mistake of placing the cut pieces into a container as they were.  When I opened the container the next day, all the nougat had oozed and was all stuck together. 

 I have tried wrapping nougat in plastic wrap and then had issues with nougat sticking to the plastic.  The best option I have found is to use baking paper that has been lightly sprayed with oil.  

The combination of ingredients can be as wild as your imagination!  My favorite is sour cherry, cranberry and pistachio, although, I did make a batch of dried fig and almond which is now a contender for first place...get creative!

Here are the ingredient quantities:

2 egg whites

2 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup water

500 g glucose syrup

1 tsp vanilla essence

Nuts and fruit of choice