Honey Pistachio and Almond Nougat
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking.
Chewy white honey nougat packed with warm toasted pistachios and almonds, set overnight and cut into bars.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Line the tin. Line the tin with baking paper and dust the paper generously with cornflour so the nougat releases cleanly.
- 2
Warm the nuts. Toast the pistachios and almonds on the tray at 160 °C for 8 min, until just fragrant. Turn the oven off and leave them inside to stay warm; warm nuts fold in far more easily.
- 3
Heat the honey. Warm the honey in one small pan over medium heat until it reads 121 °C, about 5 min. Take it off the heat; it foams up, so use a pan with room to spare.
- 4
Boil the sugar syrup. Put the sugar, corn syrup and water in the second pan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Then stop stirring and boil for 10-12 min, until the syrup reads 152 °C and is still clear or barely coloured.
- 5
Whip the whites. As the sugar syrup passes about 130 °C, start whisking the egg whites with the salt in the mixer until they hold soft peaks.
- 6
Add the hot syrups. With the mixer on medium-high, pour in the honey in a thin stream down the side of the bowl, then add the hot sugar syrup the same way. Keep the stream away from the whisk so it does not spin into threads.
- 7
Beat until thick. Keep whisking for 6-8 min, adding the vanilla near the end. It is ready when it is very thick, glossy, pulls away from the bowl and is only just warm.
- 8
Fold in the nuts. Tip in the warm nuts and fold quickly with the oiled spatula; the mixture is sticky and stiffens fast.
- 9
Leave to set. Press into the tin and smooth the top with oiled hands or the spatula. Dust with a little cornflour and leave uncovered at room temperature for 8 h or overnight, until firm.
- 10
Cut into bars. Lift the nougat out and cut it into 24 bars with the oiled knife, wiping and re-oiling the blade between cuts.
Storage
Wrap the bars individually in baking paper and keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Equipment
- 20 cm square tin
- baking paper
- baking tray
- 2 small heavy saucepans
- 2 digital thermometers (or one, rinsed between pans)
- stand mixer with whisk
- oiled spatula
- large sharp knife
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 140 kcal |
| Protein | 2.4 g |
| Carbohydrate | 23.6 g |
| of which sugars | 21.5 g |
| of which free sugars | 20.9 g |
| Fat | 4.8 g |
| of which saturates | 0.5 g |
| Fibre | 1.2 g |
| Salt | 0.08 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
1.7 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
