Nougat

Daring Bakers' Challenge March 2014

Another month gone, another Daring Bakers' Challenge completed! The March challenge was hosted by Rebecca of BakeNQuilt . She challenged us to learn to make classic nougat and to make it with our own choice of flavours and add-ins.

Since the recipes she provided were very generous, I didn't want to take a chance by trying to half the measurements and probably mess it up, I used the recipe that has been on stand-by for some time now. This version of nougat is slightly soft and chewy.

Chocolate and Walnuts Nougat

 150g toasted and chopped walnuts
180 g chocolate
30 g butter
1 tbsp cocoa
20 g cocoa butter (optional)
1 large egg white
1tsp vanilla bean paste (or seeds 1/2 vanilla pod)
pinch of salt
100 g honey
130 liquid glucose
320 g sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

You will also need: grease proof baking paper (or edible wafer- rise paper), icing sugar for dusting, 18 x 18 cm tin and sugar thermometer

Cover the base of the tin with either rise paper , or oiled baking paper.

Melt the chocolate over simmering water, remove from the heat,add the butter, cocoa and cocoa butter if using; keep warm.

Place the egg white, 1 tbsp of sugar, vanilla and salt in the bawl of a free-standing mixer - do not start whisking.

Place the remaining sugar, cream of tartar, honey and liquid glucose with 4 tbsp water in a pan over medium heat, until the sugar has dissolved. Bring it to boil and after couple of minutes, put the sugar thermometer into the pan and cook until it reaches 140 C/284 F. When the thermometer shows 135, start whisking the egg white until stiff peaks forms. Now turn the whisk to slow/medium speed and slowly pour the hot sugar syrup on to the egg white. Continue to whisk for few more minutes (3 to 4) until it's thick and glossy.

Add the warm chocolate mixture and then fold in the toasted nuts. Scoop into the prepared tin, spread even, you can press an oiled baking paper to even it out. Remove the paper and liberality dust with icing sugar. Leave overnight before cutting into bars or squares. Store in a cool place in an airtight container for one week.

Recipe adapted from "Sweet things" by Annie Rigg