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| Recipe Archive > Cakes & Biscuits > |
Nougat
Nougat, a truly delicious blend of sugar and honey boiled almost to the soft crack stage and incorporated with stiffly beaten egg whites to make a thick creamy mallowy-like mixture, which is interspersed with nuts and candied fruit.
It is one of my favourite confections, but I cannot pretend it is one of the easiest home made sweets you are likely to make but once mastered you should achieve professional results. It is useful to have a helper (not a child) to pour the hot syrup in a thin gradual stream as you whisk it into the stiffly beaten egg whites (stage 3).
You will require a sugar thermometer, plus liquid glucose and confectionery edible wafer paper (otherwise known as rice paper or edible potato paper), the little square sheets can be slightly overlapped when lining the tin to achieve easier un-molding.
Equipment & Ingredients
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450g (1lb) Whitworths granulated sugar |
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175ml (6fluoz) liquid glucose |
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225ml (8fluoz) runny honey, Acacia is good |
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115g (4oz) candied cherries, natural and red mixed, chopped |
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55g (2oz) blanched and lightly toasted almonds |
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55g (2oz) pistachio nuts (weight with shells removed) |
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Method
(1) Prepare the tin. Lightly grease a 20cm (8") x 30cm (12") x 2.5cm (1") deep tin and line it with edible wafer or rice paper.
(2) Place the sugar, liquid glucose and honey into a saucepan set over a low heat and leave until the sugar is completely dissolved, stirring frequently (see sweet facts). Increase the heat and boil the syrup until the sugar thermometer registers 140°C / 280°F.
(3) Meanwhile place the egg whites in the bowl of a mixer and beat to the stiff peak stage, then add the hot syrup in a thin stream to the meringue whisking continuously until all the syrup is incorporated and the mixture looks thick and satiny.
(4) Continue to whisk for a further 2½-3 minutes, then straight away, and with the speed of an athlete, quickly stir in the nuts, followed by the cherries and pour into the prepared tin using the back of a large metal spoon to press it level and into the corners of the tin. Cover the mixture with edible wafer, or rice paper (cut to fit) and smooth over the top with the flat of your hand. Leave until firm in a cold room for at least 24 hours. Turn out of the tin, wrap well in cling film and store in an airtight container. For gifts, cut the nougat into pieces and wrap individually in wax paper. Add to small cellophane gift bags and tie with decorative ribbons.
Tip
I find that home made nougat is best stored in the fridge, in an air-tight container. Left indefinitely in a warm room it tends to melt slightly
Tip
To toast the almonds. Place the almonds over a baking sheet and brown them lightly under a hot grill, this enhances the flavour of the nuts (take care not to let them scorch).
Whitworths Sweet Facts
Sugar
Make sure to always dissolve it properly when making confectionery. Imperfectly dissolved sugar may cause the mass to crystallize in this recipe, if the liquid begins to boil before the sugar has dissolved remove it from the heat and stir it and when the syrup has cooled a little replace it on the heat.
Liquid Glucose
Liquid glucose available from chemists inhibits crystallization in confectionery.
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