Gluten-Free Nougat

Ingredients

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• 1 1/2 cups whole almonds, toasted Shop
• 1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios Shop
• 2 sheets edible wafer paper, to fit an 8x8-inch pan (optional)
• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 cup honey Shop
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar Shop
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract Shop
• cornstarch and powdered sugar mixed 1:1, for dusting if not using wafer paper Shop

Instructions

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Spread the almonds and pistachios on a sheet pan and keep them warm in the oven while you make the candy. Warm nuts fold in more easily.
2. 2 Line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment, lightly oil it and lay one sheet of wafer paper in the bottom, or dust the parchment with the cornstarch and powdered sugar mixture.
3. 3 Put the egg whites and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk. Put the honey in a small saucepan. Put the sugar, corn syrup and water in a second saucepan and stir to wet the sugar.
4. 4 Heat the honey over medium heat to 250°F (121°C) on a candy thermometer. When it gets close, start whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks. With the mixer on medium, slowly pour the hot honey down the side of the bowl into the whites.
5. 5 Meanwhile, cook the sugar syrup without stirring to 300°F (150°C). With the mixer running, pour it in a thin stream into the honey meringue. Keep beating for 5-8 minutes, until the nougat is very thick, glossy and pulling from the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla.
6. 6 Working quickly with an oiled spatula, fold in the warm nuts. Scrape the nougat into the pan, press it flat with an oiled spatula, and top with the second sheet of wafer paper or more dusting mixture.
7. 7 Let the nougat set at room temperature for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Lift it out and cut into 36 pieces with a large oiled knife. Wrap pieces in parchment or wax paper and store airtight for up to 2 weeks.

Tips & Notes

• Use two thermometers if you have them, one for the honey and one for the sugar syrup. The nougat needs both syrups at their target temperatures, and it is hard to watch one while pouring the other.
• Keep wiping the knife with oil as you cut the nougat. Each cut leaves sticky honey on the blade, and a clean oiled knife gives neat squares instead of torn ones.
• On a humid day, nougat stays sticky and soft. Cook the sugar syrup a few degrees higher, to about 305°F, for a firmer set.

Common questions