Cooking Lesson #1011: Toasted Almond & Dried Cherry Nougat

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? If you still have one of those paper calendars and you look up March 26th – that’s Wednesday – you’ll discover that it’s National Nougat Day. That’s the day we celebrate a soft and chewy or sometimes hard and crunchy confection often found at the center of a candy bar.
 
Making nougat is really pretty easy by whipping egg whites and adding honey or sugar, roasted nuts, and sometimes candied fruit. I love my nougats. Our Choclatique Toasted Almond and Dried Cherry Nougat was one of those truffles that never made it to the box. Our collection box of chewy caramels, nuts and nougats was already full, but I truly loved this flavor combination.
 
Some say nougat has been a sweet treat since ancient Rome. Today in Italy, it’s called Torrone. In Spain, a nougat is called turrón. The United States has a version made with corn syrup called divinity. Recipes range from the more traditional nougat made with almonds and honey to those with hints of citrus and cherries.
 
In the United States, large modern candy bar makers use different recipes than the traditional nougat because it is inexpensive to make and is used as a filler, i.e. 3 Musketeers, Mars, Snickers, Milky Way, Salted Nut Rolls, Reese’s Fast Break, Baby Ruth and others.
 
Observe the official day and become a nougat aficionado by making your own Choclatique Toasted Almond and Dried Cherry Nougat.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes
Yield:  4 dozen+ candies
 
Ingredients
2 cups granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups light corn syrup (I prefer Karo)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup water
2 large egg whites
2 sticks room temperature butter, plus more for the pan
1 cup chopped toasted almonds
1/2 cup roughly chopped dried cherries that have been rehydrated
 
Directions

1. Butter an 8 x 8 x 2-inch pan.
2. In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt and water. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved.
3. Continue cooking, without stirring, until the mixture reaches the hard ball stage, ( 250˚F to 260°F). This is when a small amount of the cooked mixture dropped in cold water forms a hard ball.
4. Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a whip attachment, whip egg whites until stiff, but not dry.
5. While the mixer is running, add 1/4 of the syrup to the egg whites in a steady stream and continue whipping until mixture holds its shape.
6. Place the remaining syrup back over the heat and cook until the hard crack stage is reached, 300° F.  This is when the mixture separates into hard and brittle threads when dropped in cold water.
7. While the mixer is running, add the remaining syrup to the egg white mixture in a steady stream and continue whipping until the mixture holds its shape.
8.  Add the butter, a tablespoon at a time and whip until very thick and satiny.  
9. Fold in the almonds and cherries.
10. Press the mixture into the buttered pan, smoothing the top.
11. Let the confection stand until firm.
12. Turn the confection out of the pan and cut into 1-1/2 x 1-inch pieces.
13. Wrap each piece individually in waxed paper.

ChefSecret: Save the wax paper and individually wrap the nougats in edible rice paper instead.

Quip of the Day:  Whenever I try to eat healthfully, a chocolate bar looks at me and snickers.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.
 
#Confections #Candy #Nougat #Almonds #Cherries #AlmondCherryNougat #NationalNougatDay #KaroSyrup #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

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