Nougat
Ingredients
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- 2 cups blanched almonds – whole, toasted
- 1 cups pistachios – shelled, unsalted, toasted
- 2 sheets edible wafer paper – cut to fit a 9-inch square pan
- 3/4 cups honey
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cups light corn syrup
- 1/2 cups water
- 2 large egg whites – room temperature
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoons neutral oil
Instructions
1. Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment, leaving overhang. Fit one sheet of edible wafer paper snugly in the bottom and reserve the second sheet for topping later.
2. Heat the oven to 325°F. Spread the blanched almonds and pistachios on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant and lightly colored, 8–10 minutes. Turn the oven off and keep the warm nuts inside so they stay warm for folding.
3. Fit a stand mixer with the whisk and place the egg whites in the bowl.
4. In a small saucepan, clip on a candy thermometer and heat the honey over medium heat to 250°F/121°C (soft-ball stage). If it reaches temperature early, reduce to the lowest heat to hold.
5. In a medium saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, light corn syrup, and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat without stirring, washing down any crystals on the pan sides with a wet pastry brush. Cook to 300°F/149°C (hard-crack stage).
6. When the syrup in step 4 is around 240°F/116°C, begin whisking the contents of the mixer bowl to soft peaks on medium speed.
7. With the mixer running on medium, carefully stream the hot syrup from step 4 into the bowl in a thin, steady ribbon. Increase to medium-high and whip until glossy and thick, 1–2 minutes.
8. Still mixing on medium-high, slowly stream the hot syrup from step 5 down the side of the bowl. Whip until the mixture is very thick, shiny, and begins to pull slightly from the bowl walls, 3–5 minutes; it should fall in a slow, heavy ribbon. Mix in the vanilla extract for 10 seconds.
9. Lightly oil a heatproof spatula and a chef’s knife with the neutral oil. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, working quickly, fold in the warm nuts until evenly distributed.
10. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and press it into an even layer with the oiled spatula. Lay the reserved wafer sheet on top and press firmly to adhere. Set a second pan or flat board on top and weight it lightly.
11. Let stand at cool room temperature until fully set and sliceable, 6–12 hours (the slab should feel firm yet slightly springy when pressed).
12. Lift the slab from the pan using the parchment. Trim edges, then cut into 1-by-2-inch pieces with the oiled knife, warming and drying the blade as needed between cuts. Wrap pieces individually and store airtight up to 2 weeks (or freeze up to 2 months).
Nougat is a chewy, honeyed confection packed with nuts and scented with gentle vanilla or floral notes. Its texture balances tender pull with a pleasant bite from toasted almonds and pistachios, and the sweetness is rounded by the roasted character of the nuts. Often pressed between delicate sheets of edible wafer paper, it slices cleanly into neat bars or candies that keep well and travel beautifully.
Across the Mediterranean, nougat appears under many names: nougat de Montélimar in France, torrone in Italy, and turrón de Alicante in Spain, with Iranian gaz as a close cousin. The white style—made by whipping hot syrups into egg whites and folding in nuts—likely traces back to Arabic confectionery techniques carried through trade routes into Europe. Regional variations emphasize different nut ratios, sweeteners, and aromatics, but the core identity remains a honey-and-nut candy stabilized by whipped egg whites and cooked to firm, sliceable perfection.