I’m not a big fan of confectionery made of marcipan, but I can eat a little now and then. So when Christmas approaches, I often try out new confectionery recipes.
French nougat is something I’ve wanted to try for a while now and when I fell over a recipe that also contained liquorice, I was sold. Sweet liquorice alone is not my cup of tea, so I have mixed both sweet and salty.
I can only say this will not be the last time that I make this.
FRENCH NOUGAT WITH LIQUORICE
ABOUT 1.2 KG.
FILLING:
200 G BLANCHED ALMONDS
200 G MIXED NUTS (PEANUTS, CASHEW, BRAZIL NUTS, PISTACHIO ETC.)
160 G SALT AND SWEET FINNISH LIQUORICE
Roast the nuts in the oven at 200 degrees celsius for 6-8 minutes.
Cut the liquorice into smaller pieces.
SUGAR SYRUP:
120 G WATER
360 G SUGAR
210 G HONEY
210 G GLUCOSE SYRUP
Cook water, sugar, glucose and honey in a large pan, about 3 liters to 145 degrees celsius at an even heat. Use a sugar/digital thermometer.
Have patience because this takes time. But WAIT, around the 100 degrees celsius the water will boil, and the mixture can bubble up quite fast and furious.
MERINGUE:
75 G EGG WHITES
60 G SUGAR
Meanwhile whisk the egg whites in a stand mixer.
Add the sugar and whisk the meringue tough and stiff.
When the sugar syrup hits 145 degrees celsius, pour it in a thin stream into the meringue while the machine continues whisking. Avoid hitting the whisk as the syrup will spray to all sides.
Whisk at high speed for 10 minutes until the meringue is cool and shiny.
Finally, nuts and liquorice are added in to the mixture.
Place baking paper on a baking sheet and sift well with icing sugar, there must be no holes in the sugar layer.
Spread the nougat out in an even layer and sprinkle with more icing sugar. Place a piece of baking paper over and roll the nougat flat with a rolling pin. But not too thin, there must be something to bite into.
Let the french nougat cool off, preferably overnight.
Cut the cold nougat into smaller pieces with a sharp knife sprinkled with a little icing sugar.
Store them in an airtight container or pack the pieces individually in cling film.