I was surprised a lot of folks I talk to have no clue what nougat is. I mean, they know it’s the white stuff, but they have no idea what’s actually in it.
It’s actually a fairly simple mix of honey, sugar, and egg whites.
Here I’m making it with almonds and Grand Marnier, but feel free to replace the nuts with something else, and the alcohol with another one of your choosing.
(Experiment 273) Almond nougat
Ingredients
- 17 g egg white about half of one egg
- 146 g sugar separate in 3: 13g, 20g and 113g
- 50 g sliced almond
- 9 g grand Marnier
- 50 g honey
- 27 g water
- 1 vanilla bean
- 17 g icing sugar
- 10 g coconut oil
- 113 g corn syrup
- ~300g tempered chocolate if you want to cover them
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl combine the egg and 13g of sugar and reserve.
- Put the almond in a small container and pour the Grand Marnier on top and shake to cover all the almonds with the alcool. Add 20g of sugar, shake gently to spread the sugar on the almonds then put the almond on a baking sheet layered with parchment paper. Put in over at 325 for about 8 minutes until they get slightly golden. Stop the oven, open the door but leave the almonds in.
- In a pot over medium heat, combine the corn syrup, honey, remaining sugar, vanilla bean and water. Using a candy thermometer, let it reach 240F.
- At this point, you need to beat the egg white we reserved earlier. Using the whisk attachment beat them at high speed.
- **At 257F you will get a chewy nougat, if you want a more firm texture let it reach 280F
- When you sugar mixture reaches 257F remove the vanilla bean and pour the hot sugar mixture into the stand mixer bowl with the eggs white. Keep it at high speed for 3 minutes.
- At this point add the icing sugar and wait till it’s mixed in then add the coconut oil. It may break but keep whisking at high speed and it will bond again. Once smooth, remove the almonds from the oven and pour the mixture on it and mix using a spatula.
- Shape it to your need and let it cool at room temperature.
- Using a sharp knife, cut and dip into tempered chocolate. If it’s sticky you can dust some icing powder on the nougat. Also running hot water on the knife blade makes it easier to make a clean cut in the nougat.
