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Title: Nougat #2
Categories: Candy French Italian Nut Blank
Yield: 1 1/4 lb
| 6 | tb | Sugar |
| 1 | tb | Water |
| 1/3 | c | Light corn syrup |
| 1/4 | c | Egg whites |
| 1 | c | Light corn syrup |
| 1 | c | Sugar |
| 2 | tb | Butter, cut in small chunks |
| 1 | c | Blanched almonds |
| 1/2 | c | Blanched pistachios |
| 1/2 | c | Candied cherries, chopped, optional |
| Butter for the pan | ||
| Confectioner's sugar |
Southern France and Italy are famous for luscious nougats with distinctive flavors due to regional honey differences. So, why no honey in this recipe? Honey is an extremely variable substance. If substituted for sugar in jams, jellies and candies a higher degree of heat is required. In candies, more persistant beating is required and careful storage against atmospheric moisture.
This is a two part process and an electric beater is helpful. First cook in a 2 qt saucepan the sugar, water and corn syrup. Blend over low heat and stir until boiling. Cover and cook for about 3 min until all the steam has washed down the crystals which may have formed on the sides of the pan when stirring. Cook uncovered over medium without stirring to the soft ball stage- 238 deg F. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand while you beat in a mixer the egg whites until very stiff. Add the hot syrup gradually to the egg whites, continuing to beat for at least 5 min until the mass thickens.
Blend in a heavy 1 qt pan and stir over low heat until it boils the corn syrup and sugar. Stop stirring, cover and steam 3 min, then uncover and boil rapidly without stirring to 285. Remove from the heat and let stand until syrup stops bubbling. Now pour the second mixture into the first and beat until well combined. Beat in the butter and add the nuts [and cherries]. Pour into an 8 by 8 buttered pan dusted with confectioner's sugar or lined with baker's wafer paper. Let sit in a cool place at least 12 hours. If it is hard to get out of the pan, release the sides with a knife andthen hold the bottom of the pan over heat and invert over a cutting block for slicing.
From the Joy of Cooking. Posted by Jim Weller.
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