Montélimar Nougat – Homemade White Nougat with Honey and Nuts
·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!
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.
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...
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...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.