All about nougat: recipe, cooking method, benefits and harms

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Nougat is one of the favorite sweets, which is used both as a filling for sweets and other confectionery products, and as an independent dessert. A real nougat recipe involves the use of completely natural products and a very large number of nuts. Our article is for those who prefer sweets prepared on their own. We will tell you about the nougat recipe at home and share the secrets of its preparation.

About nougat

Sweet viscous mass - a favorite delicacy of true sweet tooth - took its name from the Latin word nux, meaning "nut" in translation. And this name is quite justified, because nuts are almost the basis of this dessert. The traditional nougat recipe, which came to us more than six centuries ago, includes honey, roasted hazelnuts or walnuts (sometimes almonds), and egg white. The structure of the dessert can be either light and airy or hard. For extra aroma and tastevanilla, cinnamon, citrus zest and other spices are added to it.

Today, nougat is made with peanuts, chocolate, dried fruits and many other ingredients, and in general, the nougat recipe has become a little different. For example, chocolate bars like "Mars" or "Snickers" also contain nougat. Only now its modern composition includes corn syrup, gelatin and starch, which is completely contrary to the true recipe. But in the days of the Soviet Union, on the shelves you could find nougat toffee, cut into pieces and packed in parchment.

History of Appearance

It is still unclear which country is considered the birthplace of nougat. According to one source, this is the Middle East, namely Iran. After all, there is still a recipe for a delicacy that is as similar to nougat as possible, which dates back several centuries from the history of its creation. But the Italians are proud of the legend about the creation of this dessert. It says that the recipe for nougat was invented by a pastry chef who prepared a cake on the occasion of the wedding of Maria Visconti with Duke Francesco Sforza, which took place in 1441. Nougat served as a kind of gluing between the numerous layers of high and heavy cake with the Torrone tower. And since then, the Italians still call nougat "torron" or "turon".

Recipe for nougat at home

The independent process of making nougat is quite difficult and moderately troublesome. Moreover, not everyone succeeds in cooking it on the first try.

So how do you make nougat at home? There are two main types of this delicacy - white and dark. The first has a more lush and delicate structure, made from egg white and honey. The second type of nougat has a base of caramelized sugar, due to which a dark color is obtained. Consider the recipe for a traditional nut nougat.

For its preparation you will need:

• 250g natural honey;
• 100ml water;
• 800g sugar;
• 600g nuts;
• 4 egg whites;
• 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil.

Sugar, honey and water are combined in a saucepan and put on a slow fire, stirring constantly. It is necessary to bring the temperature of the mass to 170 degrees. For convenience, it is best to use a kitchen thermometer. While the syrup is preparing, start beating the egg whites to stiff peaks. Then, without turning off the mixer, gradually pour in the sugar-honey syrup to the proteins. Beat until the bases are completely mixed, then turn off the mixer and add the nuts to the rapidly thickening mass. Use roasted almonds, cashews, or hazelnuts. Pour the finished mass into a pre-prepared and oiled form, then send it to the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Useful properties

The benefits of nougat should be discussed only if the dessert is made from natural products without the use of dyes, flavors and preservatives. For example, white nougat made with honey and egg white is an excellent source of proteins, enzymes, vitamins, fruit acids, minerals andamino acids. Even a child can be treated with such sweetness quite calmly (provided that he is not allergic to honey). Thanks to its high content of carbohydrates, nougat energizes and improves mood. Which is also important for both children and adults. A couple of pieces of this sweet with a cup of tea will certainly relieve fatigue and add strength during a busy day.

Harm

Despite the we alth of nutrients that nougat has, use it in moderation. When you include it in your daily diet, your teeth are the first to suffer. Due to the high sugar content that accumulates between the teeth even after brushing, nougat is an excellent environment for the development of cavities.

Another important fact about nougat is its high calorie content (more than 400 kcal per 100 g). Excessive consumption of this dessert leads to the risk of obesity and diseases of the digestive system. Dysbacteriosis, accelerated aging of skin cells, acne - all this is also caused by high sugar content in the body. And the constant use of sweets increases the load on the pancreas, which, in turn, provokes diabetes. That is why a sense of proportion should be observed in everything.

In closing

In this article, we have shared with you a traditional nougat recipe. Be sure to try to cook it and please your loved ones. Don't be afraid to experiment and add your own ingredients to create unique recipes. cocoa, dried fruits,pieces of chocolate and even biscuit, candied fruits - this and much more may well become a part of your author's homemade nougat.