| Level: | Advanced |
| Total: | 1 hr 2 min |
| Prep: | 15 min |
| Inactive: | 12 min |
| Cook: | 35 min |
| Yield: | A few dozen |
Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cups almonds, toasted
- 1 cup pistachios, toasted
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- 9 tablespoons water
- 1 3/4 cups honey
- 1/3 cup egg whites (or 1 1/2 whites)
- Cornstarch, for dusting
- 8 to 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, tempered
Instructions
- Toast the almonds and pistachios at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes on a baking sheet.
- Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a saucepan and cook to 330 degrees F. When the sugar reaches 265 degrees F, start to heat the honey in a separate pan and bring it to a low boil.
- Simultaneously, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks with an electric mixer, being careful not to overwhisk. With the mixer still on high, gradually add the honey, pouring it down the side of the bowl. Continue to whisk. When the sugar reaches 330 degrees F, pour it over the honey meringue. Mix for 5 minutes at medium speed. Switch to the paddle and continue mixing for another 5 minutes. Using a spatula, incorporate the warm nuts. This will be sticky. Apply cooking spray to parchment lined sheet pan. Pour the nougat onto the parchment paper and flatten or spread to 3/4-inch thick with cornstarch-dusted hands or rolling pin. Rest overnight at room temperature. Cut to desired sized pieces and dip half in chocolate or drizzle chocolate over the top.
- How to Temper Chocolate(From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home by Jacques Torres):
- Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
- One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate’s residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
- Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
- The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
- A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.
Reviews
Love this recipe. I make it every year as part of my Christmas cooking. I usually leave out the chocolate. Everyone loves then and they last forever, so a great make-ahead treat. For wrapping I use waxed candy wrappers bought on-line.
I have tried many nougat recipes, and this is the best. I halved the honey and increased the corn syrup because I do not like a heavy honey flavor. They were perfect.
In response to the question of wrappers, I use 5×5 clear cellophane wrappers. They work perfectly! You can order online.
Just got a new mixer so we could try making nougat. Very pleased with the results. Took the advice of one reviewer to substitute corn syrup for 1/2 of the honey. Good idea.
Would like to know, though, what might be good to use as wrappers, since waxed paper sticks too much.
Would like to know, though, what might be good to use as wrappers, since waxed paper sticks too much.
Lovely consistency so far (still warm) but they honey taste is very strong. Next time I will do like the other reviewer and take out some of the honey and add more corn syrup. I think because it is so sweet roasted and salted almonds would be nicer to cut some of the sugar.
Also beware of the clean up. Have some soapy hot water ready to dump utensils and bowls in as you finish with them.
Also beware of the clean up. Have some soapy hot water ready to dump utensils and bowls in as you finish with them.
Made this for office Christmas party. First candy I have made and it turned out well. I didn’t have a candy thermometer, so I used the “drop in ice-water” method. Probably was a few degrees under the required 330 so the nougat has remained somewhat softer than to be expected but it is actually a very nice texture. Once coated with chocolate, the softness/stickiness doesn’t matter anyway. I used a fairly strong-flavored honey and it worked well. Try this recipe. Use a candy thermometer. Choose your honey wisely.
I never went to France, but I just made this candy. For us who haven’t traveled to Europe, the candy is between a “BIG HUNK”+ a “BITE O’HONEY”, but kicked up a notch! Problems: what do you do in the water? I put it in with the syrup. I used wax paper, don’t work. But, the candy is good with the paper.
This recipe makes quite a bit. It is easy, but the clean up is a bit of a chore. I love nougate and torrone. I always buy it when I’m in Italy and this is exactly the same!!! I’m so happy to finally be able to make it at home. I dipped 1/2 in chocolate and the rest I left plain. Divine!