Montélimar Nougat – Homemade White Nougat with Honey and Nuts

Step-by-step method

At a glance

You're making a classic French white nougat with honey, toasted nuts, and whipped egg whites – it's a bit of a technical dance with two thermometers and precise timing, but nothing impossible with our guide. The trickiest part is keeping the honey and sugar syrup at the right temperatures and pouring them into the egg whites in quick succession, so get everything prepped before you start heating. Once you've mixed it all together, you'll let it set overnight, then slice it into those perfectly chewy, crunchy pieces that put store-bought versions to shame.

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Toast the nuts

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Spread the almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios on a baking tray and let them toast for 15 minutes until beautifully fragrant. Once baked, leave them in the switched-off oven with the door slightly ajar. They need to go into the nougat while still warm, so they don't cool the mixture down!

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200 gram
Unpeeled Almonds

100 gram
Unpeeled Hazelnuts

60 gram
Pistachios (unsalted)
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Prepare the mould

While the nuts are toasting, get a square baking ring or tin ready (about 23 x 23 cm). Line it with baking paper, then generously dust the base and sides through a sieve with a mixture of icing sugar and cornflour (1:1). Make sure you build up an even layer.

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1 tablespoon
Powdered Sugar

1 tablespoon
Cornstarch
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Prepare the bases

Melt the cocoa butter in a small saucepan and set it aside. In another pot, combine water, glucose syrup and sugar and start heating over a fairly high heat. You're aiming for 150–156°C, with 152°C being the ideal temperature for soft, chewy nougat. Meanwhile...

For this step
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120 gram
Cocoa Butter

85 gram
Glucose syrup

125 gram
Water

400 gram
Granulated Sugar

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Heat the honey

Put the honey in a second pot and start heating it – this happens faster than the sugar syrup. The honey needs to reach 121°C. Keep an eye on both thermometers and adjust the heat so both mixtures finish at roughly the same time. Meanwhile...

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290 gram
Honey
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Whip the egg whites

Separate the egg whites and start whipping them in a stand mixer on medium speed until softly foamy. Then add 20 g of sugar and keep whipping until you get stiff, firm peaks.

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60 gram
Egg White

20 gram
Granulated Sugar
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Timing is everything

Check both temperatures carefully – accuracy really matters here. The sugar syrup can take the longest to go from 113°C to 130°C, as the water needs to evaporate, but after that the temperature climbs fast. Watch it closely! If you want extra control, you can lower the heat or take the syrup off the stove entirely for a moment.
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Add the honey

Once the honey reaches 121°C, reduce the mixer to medium speed and slowly pour the honey down the side of the bowl into the whipped egg whites, keeping the mixer running the whole time.
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Add the sugar syrup

Check the sugar syrup – once it hits 152°C, take it off the heat, wait for the bubbles to settle, then slowly pour it down the side of the bowl into the egg white and honey mixture while mixing on medium speed.
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Final whipping

Increase the speed and whip the mixture for about 1 more minute. It will turn glossy and thick. Now swap the whisk attachment for the dough hook (or a flat beater).
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Add the fat and nuts

With the mixer running on low, pour in the melted cocoa butter. Finally, add the still-warm roasted nuts from the oven. Let the mixer run for a little while longer until everything is well combined.
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Fill the mould

Transfer the finished mixture (it will be thick and sticky) into the prepared mould lined with baking paper. Smooth the surface with a spatula or a small rolling pin.
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Set and slice

Leave the nougat to set at room temperature, ideally overnight. The next day, remove the block from the mould, peel off the paper, and cut it into cubes or bars with a sharp knife.

Montélimar Nougat – Homemade White Nougat with Honey and Nuts

Name: Classic Montélimar Honey Nougat
Prep time: 23 min
Cook time: 21 min
Total time: 537 min
Yield: 30
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 60 gram Egg White; 120 gram Cocoa Butter; 1 tablespoon Cornstarch; 60 gram Pistachios (unsalted); 200 gram Unpeeled Almonds; 1 tablespoon Powdered Sugar; 125 gram Water; 420 gram Granulated Sugar; 290 gram Honey; 85 gram Glucose syrup; 100 gram Unpeeled Hazelnuts

everydaybyyumsto

Prep 23 min Cook 21 min

Plus overnight of resting (not counted in active time)

11 Ingredients

12 Steps

Hard Difficulty

About this recipe

Remember that irresistible smell of roasted almonds and sweet honey drifting through the Christmas markets? This white nougat, Montélimar-style, hails from France and is a true delicacy. 🇫🇷🍯 It might sound tricky, but with our step-by-step guide and a kitchen thermometer, you'll manage it with ease. The key is to get organised and have everything prepped ahead of time. The result is beautifully soft and chewy, packed with crunchy nuts, and so much better than anything from a shop. Just don't confuse it with Turkish delight – that's a starch-based sweet, while real nougat is built on honey, egg whites and nuts. Don't be intimidated by working with sugar syrup either – we'll walk you through it step by step. Get your pans ready and let's sweeten the day!

Gluten-free Vegetarian Desserts French To impress Indulgent treats

Step-by-step method

At a glance

Toast the nuts

For this step

Prepare the mould

For this step

Prepare the bases

For this step

Heat the honey

For this step

Whip the egg whites

For this step

Timing is everything

Add the honey

Add the sugar syrup

Final whipping

Add the fat and nuts

Fill the mould

Set and slice

Montélimar Nougat – Homemade White Nougat with Honey and Nuts

Ingredients — what you'll need

About this recipe

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