Nougat is a versatile dessert. The hard variant can be cut into small pieces and enjoyed on its own, while the soft variant can be used to make bars, cupcakes and other sweets. The basic preparation is the same, regardless of the consistency you like: the substantial difference between soft and hard nougat is simply in the expected cooking temperature.
Ingrediants
Doses for 12-24 servings
Simple Nougat
- 3 egg whites
- 1-1 ½ cup (200-300 g) of granulated sugar
- 160 ml of light corn syrup or liquid glucose
- 60 ml of water
Optional Ingredients
- 60 g of bitter chocolate
- 40 g of malted milk powder
- 1 cup (150 g) of almonds or another type of dried fruit
- 1 cup (190 g) of mixed dried fruit
- ½ cup (90 g) of caramel morsels
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Preparations
Step 1. Take a 20x20cm baking sheet
Line the bottom and edges with wax paper. Set it aside.
Alternatively, you could grease the bottom and edges of the pan with butter, fat, or non-stick cooking spray. Either way, wax paper makes cleaning easier
Step 2. Measure about three cups (360g) of ice and place it in a medium sized bowl
Set it aside.
Ice may not be necessary, but it is still recommended to prepare it. If during cooking the syrup exceeds the desired temperature, the ice allows it to be lowered quickly
Step 3. Make sure the cake thermometer is accurate by dipping the tip into boiling water:
it should indicate a temperature of 100 ° C.
- As accurate as the thermometer was the last time you used it, you should still check it again before making nougat or any other type of dessert. In fact, it is essential that the temperature measurement is accurate.
- You can still use a less accurate cake thermometer. Just adjust the temperatures indicated in the recipe considering the same type of variation.
Step 4. If you want to make chocolate malt nougat, you need to chop and melt 60g of chocolate before continuing with the recipe
- Break up the chocolate and place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Let it cook at intervals of 30 seconds, stirring it from time to time until it has melted completely.
- Set it aside as you prepare the basics of the nougat. The chocolate should cool slightly, but not so much that it begins to solidify.
Part 2 of 4: Making the Syrup
Step 1. Place the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a medium-sized heavy saucepan
Let them heat over medium heat.
Step 2. Let them cook and stir constantly until the sugar grains dissolve and bring the mixture to a boil
- It usually takes about 10 minutes.
- If the mixture comes to a boil, but sugar crystals remain on the side of the pot, put the lid on and let the syrup boil for a minute or two. This way the steam should melt the crystals.
- Alternatively, you can run a wet pastry brush on the sides of the pot to melt and remove the crystals.
Step 3. Cook the syrup over medium heat until the cake thermometer indicates the ideal temperature
To obtain a soft nougat, the so-called middle bubble phase should be reached, with a temperature of around 115 ° C. To get a hard nougat, you should reach the small cassé phase, with a temperature of around 135 ° C.
- It usually takes six or 12 more minutes.
- If you make soft nougat, you can actually cook the sugar syrup until it reaches 120 ° C. Similarly, to make hard nougat, it can reach a temperature of 150 ° C.
- If the temperature exceeds the ideal one, stop cooking immediately by placing the bottom of the pan on the ice you have prepared.
Part 3 of 4: Mix the Syrup and Meringue
Step 1. While the syrup is heating to the indicated temperature, place the egg whites in a large heat-resistant bowl and whisk them with an electric mixer
- To make hard, compact nougat, whisk them until stiff. If, on the other hand, you prefer soft and fluffy nougat, you only need to beat them until you get a full-bodied foam.
- If you find this more practical, remember that you can beat the egg whites before making the syrup. While not using them immediately, they should maintain the desired consistency. Once the syrup has reached the right temperature, you will need to proceed quickly.
Step 2. Prepare the egg whites, pour a spoonful of boiling syrup to temper and mix them using the electric mixer
- If you use a planetary mixer, set it to minimum power before starting to incorporate the egg whites. If you use an electric mixer, start mixing the ingredients on low immediately after adding the egg whites.
- Try to pour the syrup as close to the side of the bowl as possible, without touching this area.
Step 3. At this point, pour in the remaining syrup while continuing to whisk the mixture at minimum power
Slowly pour in the syrup, but try to do this on a regular and continuous basis. Proceed at minimum power until all the syrup is incorporated
Step 4. Mix the syrup and egg whites roughly, increase the speed of the mixer, whisking them on medium power for another two or three minutes, or until the mixture appears well blended and compact
The compound must be whipped until stiff regardless of the desired result. However, if you have whipped the egg whites until stiff before adding the syrup, at this stage you should notice them less shiny than before
Part 4 of 4: Let the Nougat set
Step 1. Once the nougat is stiff, add all the ingredients you want
- To make malted chocolate nougat, add 60ml of melted chocolate and 40g of malted milk powder. Mix the ingredients by setting the electric mixer at minimum power.
- If you want to make crunchy nougat bars, add ingredients such as almonds, nuts or caramel morsels, then mix using a spatula. You can choose several ingredients or just one, but try not to use more than one and a half cups in total.
Step 2. Whether you've added other ingredients or not, pour the nougat onto the pan you lined earlier
Smooth the surface with a trowel.
Step 3. If you're making hard nougat, lay another sheet of wax paper on the surface of the cake and press it gently to smooth it out -
- Avoid this step if you are making soft nougat, otherwise it will be difficult to peel off the wax paper.
- Leave the wax paper on the nougat until completely cooled.
Step 4. Let it cool down to room temperature
Generally you have to wait for a few hours.
- Soft nougat can be put in the fridge, while hard nougat should always be left at room temperature.
- As it cools, the nougat should take on its final consistency. The hard one will become firm, while the soft one will become more compact, but it should not harden completely.
Step 5. If you have made hard nougat, you can cut it into small pieces once it has cooled
- Remove the nougat from the pan and peel off the wax paper from both sides.
- Cut the nougat into squares using a sharp knife. You have to move it back and forth to engrave the cake strongly and cut it.
Step 6. Move the nougat to an airtight container and store it at room temperature for three days, up to one week
- In case of hard nougat, wrap the individual pieces with wax paper to prevent them from sticking together. You should also spread a sheet of wax paper at the bottom of the container and between the stacked layers. The hard nougat can be kept for a week.
- In case of soft nougat, use it immediately or pour it into a container with the help of a spoon and close it tightly. It usually lasts about three days.
- Both types of nougat can be stored for about two months in the freezer. Before using them, however, let them defrost for an hour in the fridge.
