A simple, sweet treat!

Nougat is a classic confection made from a mixture of sugar, egg whites and nuts. The word “nougat” originated in France and translates from the Old Provencal word “nogat”, meaning “nut cake”. 

Simply sweet and perfect as an after-dinner treat, nougat is a delightful dessert that will satisfy your guests. This lovely recipe includes additional rosemary and white chocolate to enhance the traditional flavour of nougat and make your treats truly stand out from the crowd!

Ingredients

100g egg whites (approximately 3 eggs)

Cream of tartar, pinch

25g caster sugar

Sugar syrup

90g liquid glucose

225ml water

415g caster sugar

Honey syrup

250g honey

Assembly

400g pistachios

30g cocoa butter

100g glacé orange, chopped

3 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped

3 tbs icing sugar, sifted

3 tbs cornflour, sifted

Method

In a bowl of a freestanding mixer with balloon whisk attachment, place egg whites and cream of tartar. Measure out 25g caster sugar and have in a small bowl. Reserve until ready for whipping.

Sugar syrup

Place glucose into a bowl and warm in the Microwave at 600W for 30 seconds to soften.

Combine water and sugar into a medium saucepan and on high heat, Induction setting 7.

Once sugar has dissolved, add glucose and increase heat to Boost 2. Using a sugar thermometer heat sugar to 170°C.

Honey syrup

Place honey in a separate saucepan, once sugar syrup has reached 115°C, start heating honey on medium heat, Induction setting 5. Heat until it reaches 130°C on a thermometer.

Once honey has reached 110°C on the thermometer, commence whipping egg whites with the cream of tartar and the sugar.

When the honey reaches 130°C, immediately add the honey to the egg whites in a slow steady stream down the side of the bowl.

Once the sugar syrup has reached 170°C, immediately pour over the egg whites, in a steady stream. Timing is critical at this point, as mass evaporation is very important in achieving the perfect nougat texture.

After adding the sugar syrup in, turn the machine off and swap the balloon whisk over for the paddle attachment.

Continue whisking on medium speed for approximately 15 minutes. Heat the outside of the bowl with a paint stripper gun to firm the nougat. This will encourage further evaporation of any residual moisture and help to create a firmer consistency.

Assembly

In a Warming Drawer on Cup setting 1, place pistachios onto a round baking tray and keep warm. Alternatively warm in the Oven on shelf position 2 on Conventional at 40°C. Keep warm until required.

To test if the nougat is ready, have a bowl of cold water and drop a small amount of nougat into the water, it should set firm. If it’s still soft, you may need to apply more heat to warm the bowl.

Once the desired texture has been achieved, add in cocoa butter, pistachios, glacé orange and rosemary and mix well to combine.

In a separate bowl, sift to combine icing sugar and cornflour.

Grease and baking paper line a 23 x 23 x 5cm lamington tin. Dust liberally the base and sides of the tin.

Dip a scraper into the remaining cornflour mix and scoop out the nougat into the tin. Dust your hands in the cornflour and gently press nougat into the tin. Once reasonably flat, dust the surface of the nougat with more cornflour mix.

Place a sheet of baking paper or a Silpat mat directly onto the surface and using a rolling pin smooth to level the top. Remove the mat or paper and trim any excess nougat on the sides.

Once cool, wrap tin in cling wrap and store immediately in an airtight container.

To serve

Using a clean sharp bread knife, cut nougat into 3cm x 3cm squares.

Hints and tips

Nougat will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for approximately 2 weeks.

Paint stripper or heat guns can be purchased from hardware stores.

And there it is! A tasty, sweet treat that you can prepare and serve in under two hours! We hope you enjoy serving this delicious nougat at your next dinner party. 

With a Miele gourmet warming drawer you can easily keep your pistachios warm while you’re preparing the rest of the nougat recipe! These warming drawers are ideal for the busy cook as they allow you to warm your cups and plates as well as having the ability to cook food at low temperatures. These easy to clean drawers have a 4 hour timer which switches off automatically so there’s no need to worry! A perfect addition to your busy kitchen!

Photo credit -https://www.sogoodmagazine.com/pastry-recipes/willaume-and-pistachio-nougat/

https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/why-pistachios-are-sold-in-their-shells.htm