Christmas Nougat
SERVES
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
40
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
40
MINUTES
CUISINE
COURSE
Baking
Method
Line the base of a 21cm square tin with confectioner’s rice paper.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 Put the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the skins start to flake away. Rub off the skins with a cloth and leave them whole. Roast the skinned almonds for 10-12 minutes. Set aside.
Put the sugar, liquid glucose and honey into a wide sauté pan. Stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and cook until the syrup reaches 130ºC (hard crack stage) on a sugar thermometer.
Whisk the egg whites in a spotlessly clean, dry bowl to a firm peak. Slowly pour in half the syrup and whisk to combine preferably in a food mixer. Add the vanilla extract and continue to whisk at a low speed.
Meanwhile, put the remaining syrup back on the heat and cook until the mixture reaches 150ºC on a sugar thermometer. Slowly pour onto the egg white mixture and whisk for about 5 minutes, until it’s thick and glossy. Fold in the pistachio nuts, toasted almonds, hazelnuts, dried cherries, candied peel, lemon rind and a pinch of salt.
Pour the nougat mixture into the prepared tin. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon or a spatula. Cover with a sheet of rice paper and press down gently. Allow to cool, then cut into 2.5cm square pieces with a sharp knife and serve. Store in an airtight tin.
Ingredients
350g sugar
225g liquid glucose
200g honey
125g hazelnuts
125g skinned almonds
2 egg whites, preferably free-range and organic
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g shelled, peeled pistachios
75g dried sour cherries
50g dry candied lemon or orange peel or chopped apricots
Grated rind of 1 lemon
Good pinch of salt
Method
Line the base of a 21cm square tin with confectioner’s rice paper.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 Put the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the skins start to flake away. Rub off the skins with a cloth and leave them whole. Roast the skinned almonds for 10-12 minutes. Set aside.
Put the sugar, liquid glucose and honey into a wide sauté pan. Stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and cook until the syrup reaches 130ºC (hard crack stage) on a sugar thermometer.
Whisk the egg whites in a spotlessly clean, dry bowl to a firm peak. Slowly pour in half the syrup and whisk to combine preferably in a food mixer. Add the vanilla extract and continue to whisk at a low speed.
Meanwhile, put the remaining syrup back on the heat and cook until the mixture reaches 150ºC on a sugar thermometer. Slowly pour onto the egg white mixture and whisk for about 5 minutes, until it’s thick and glossy. Fold in the pistachio nuts, toasted almonds, hazelnuts, dried cherries, candied peel, lemon rind and a pinch of salt.
Pour the nougat mixture into the prepared tin. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon or a spatula. Cover with a sheet of rice paper and press down gently. Allow to cool, then cut into 2.5cm square pieces with a sharp knife and serve. Store in an airtight tin.
