Classic Nougat

The recipe, step by step

This homemade classic nougat is soft, chewy and packed with toasted pistachios, hazelnuts and glacé cherries, with a subtle burst of strawberry running through it. The contrast between the soft nougat and crunchy nuts makes it particularly moreish, and it looks beautiful once cut into neat bars or squares.

Nougat is one of those recipes that can seem intimidating until you understand the process. The key is preparation: have everything weighed and ready before you begin, use a reliable sugar thermometer and keep your mixer close at hand. Once the sugar syrup reaches the correct temperature, things move fairly quickly.

For this version, I use freeze-dried strawberry powder alongside pistachios, hazelnuts and glacé cherries. You can easily change the fruit and nuts once you are comfortable with the basic technique.

It also makes a lovely homemade gift. Cut the finished nougat into small squares or longer bars and wrap the pieces individually in cellophane, or arrange them in a tightly sealed glass jar.

If you enjoy making confectionery, you might also like my Honeycomb / Cinder Toffee.

Recipe Highlights

• Ease: Intermediate. The process is straightforward, but accurately cooking the sugar syrup and working with hot sugar requires a little care.
• Taste: Sweet honey and strawberry with vanilla, toasted pistachios, hazelnuts and glacé cherries.
• Texture: Soft and chewy with plenty of crunchy roasted nuts.
• Quantity: Approximately 50 pieces, cut into roughly 2 cm squares.
• Preparation: 20 minutes.
• Setting: At least 4 hours, although it may take up to 5 hours depending on the conditions.
• Total time:4 hours 20 minutes minimum.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Caster sugar: Use 300 g caster sugar. This forms the main structure of the nougat and is cooked with the water before the honey is added.
• Water: Use 50 ml water to begin the sugar syrup.
• Honey: Use 130 g honey. It adds flavour and sweetness. Corn syrup can be used instead.
• Egg whites: Use 2 medium egg whites, approximately 60 g in total, at room temperature. Whisking them creates the light, aerated structure of the nougat.
• Fine sea salt: Add 1 pinch while whisking the egg whites. It helps balance the sweetness.
• Freeze-dried strawberry powder: Use 10 g for the distinctive strawberry flavour and colour.
• Pistachios: Use 80 g whole roasted pistachios. They add colour as well as crunch.
• Hazelnuts: Use 150 g whole roasted hazelnuts for a rich toasted flavour and plenty of texture.
• Glacé cherries: Use 100 g glacé cherries, also known as candied cherries. Their soft texture and colour work particularly well against the nuts.
• Cornflour: Use 1 tablespoon cornflour (US cornstarch). It helps give the finished nougat additional structure.
• Vanilla: Use 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or ¼ teaspoon vanilla paste, if you like. It rounds out the strawberry, honey and nut flavours.
• Butter: Use 2 tablespoons butter. This is beaten into the finished meringue before the nuts and fruit are folded through.
• Neutral-tasting oil: Use 1 teaspoon neutral oil, such as coconut, vegetable or sunflower oil, for greasing the parchment and spatula and preventing the nougat from sticking.

Nigel recommends

Vanilla Bean Paste

I recommend Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste when adding vanilla to this nougat. Its rich, rounded flavour works beautifully with the honey, strawberry and toasted nuts without overpowering them.

Ingredient

Nielsen Massey

Vanilla Bean Paste

Rich vanilla bean paste with a concentrated vanilla flavour and visible vanilla seeds, ideal for cakes, biscuits, custards, creams and glazes.

Why I recommend it → Shop at Amazon UK

Some retailer links may be affiliate links. Recommendations remain editorially independent.

How to Make Classic Nougat

1. Preheat the oven and toast the nuts: Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / 400°F / Gas 6. Scatter the pistachios and hazelnuts over a baking tray and toast for 8–10 minutes, then set them aside.

2. Prepare the tin: Line a baking pan measuring at least 20 × 20 cm with baking parchment. Lightly brush the parchment with some of the neutral-tasting oil to prevent the nougat from sticking.

3. Start the sugar syrup: Add the 300 g caster sugar and 50 ml water to a heavy-based saucepan. Heat over a moderate heat without stirring and place a sugar thermometer in the pan.

4. Add the honey: When the sugar syrup reaches 135°C / 275°F, add the 130 g honey.

5. Cook to temperature: Continue heating until the syrup reaches 158°C / 316°F. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and leave the syrup for 1–2 minutes.

6. Whisk the egg whites: Meanwhile, add the 2 egg whites and pinch of fine sea salt to the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk until the egg whites form stiff peaks.

7. Add the hot syrup: Reduce the mixer speed and carefully pour the hot sugar syrup down the side of the mixing bowl in a slow, steady stream.

8. Add the strawberry and cornflour: Add the freeze-dried strawberry powder and cornflour, then increase the mixer speed again.

9. Continue whisking: Whisk for approximately 10 minutes, until the mixture becomes thick, glossy and smooth and begins to become noticeably firmer and harder to work with.

10. Add the butter: Beat in the 2 tablespoons butter until incorporated.

11. Add the fruit and nuts: Using a spatula, fold through the toasted pistachios and hazelnuts, glacé cherries and the vanilla extract or paste, if using.

12. Transfer to the tin: Scrape the nougat into the prepared pan. Lightly oil your spatula and use it to flatten and spread the mixture to your preferred thickness. I like mine to be around 2 cm / 1 inch thick.

13. Leave to set: Allow the nougat to cool and set for 4–5 hours.

14. Cut the nougat: Once completely set, turn it out of the pan and use a large, sharp, warm knife to cut it into bars or approximately 2 cm squares.

Nigel’s Recipe Tips

Read the whole method before starting. I strongly recommend doing this before making nougat. Once the syrup reaches the correct temperature, you need to move fairly quickly, so having everything weighed and prepared makes the process much easier.

Keep your mixing bowl completely clean. Even a small amount of grease or egg yolk can make egg whites difficult to whisk properly. Make sure the bowl and whisk are spotless before you begin.

Use room-temperature egg whites. I find they whisk more readily and give you a good starting point for the nougat.

Use a sugar thermometer. Temperature makes a significant difference to nougat. For this recipe, add the honey at 135°C / 275°F and continue cooking the syrup to 158°C / 316°F.

Be extremely careful with the sugar syrup. Sugar at this temperature can cause a serious burn. Pour it slowly down the side of the mixer bowl rather than directly onto the whisk.

Choose a dry day where possible. Nougat is sensitive to humidity and can become softer and stickier when there is a lot of moisture in the air.

Oil your spatula. Nougat is extremely sticky while warm. A very light coating of neutral oil makes spreading it into the pan considerably easier.

Use a warm, sharp knife for cutting. This makes it easier to get through the chewy nougat and gives you cleaner edges.

Variations

Different Nuts

You can change the pistachios and hazelnuts for other roasted nuts you enjoy, or use a mixture.

Different Freeze-Dried Fruits

Once you are comfortable with the basic recipe, try replacing the strawberry powder with another freeze-dried fruit flavour.

Raspberry, passion fruit, blueberry, blackcurrant, mango or pineapple would all give the nougat a different character.

Change the Fruit

The glacé cherries can be swapped for another suitable chopped dried or candied fruit.

Citrus Nougat

Lemon or orange can be used to introduce a fresh citrus flavour.

Chocolate Nougat

Chocolate is another flavour that works particularly well with the toasted nuts.

Use Corn Syrup

The 130 g honey can be replaced with 130 g corn syrup when you prefer a more neutral flavour.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Nougat?

Nougat is a confection traditionally made by combining a cooked sugar or honey syrup with whipped egg whites. Nuts, dried or candied fruits and other flavourings can then be folded through before the mixture is allowed to set.

Why Do I Need a Sugar Thermometer?

Temperature controls the final structure of the nougat. For this recipe, the sugar syrup is cooked to 158°C / 316°F, so guessing the temperature can make the finished nougat considerably softer or firmer than intended.

Why Do I Add the Honey at 135°C?

Allow the sugar and water to reach 135°C / 275°F first, then add the honey and continue cooking the syrup until it reaches its final temperature of 158°C / 316°F.

Why Is My Nougat Too Soft?

Humidity and sugar temperature can both affect the result. Make sure the syrup reaches its full 158°C / 316°F and, where possible, make the nougat on a relatively dry day.

Do I Really Need a Stand Mixer?

I strongly recommend one for this recipe. You need to keep the egg whites moving while introducing extremely hot sugar syrup in a slow stream, and a stand mixer leaves both hands free to control the saucepan safely.

How Long Does Nougat Take to Set?

Allow the nougat to set for at least 4 hours. Depending on the room temperature and humidity, it may take up to 5 hours. It should be completely cool and firm enough to cut cleanly before you remove it from the tin.

How Thick Should I Make the Nougat?

I like to spread it to around 2 cm / 1 inch thick, although the exact thickness can be adjusted to suit how you intend to cut and serve it.

Tools You’ll Need

• Stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment
• Heavy-based saucepan
• Sugar thermometer
• Baking tray
• Baking pan measuring at least 20 × 20 cm
• Baking parchment
• Heatproof spatula
• Large sharp knife
• Digital kitchen scales

Storage and Freezing

Storing

Allow the nougat to set completely before cutting and storing it.

Keep the pieces in a well-sealed airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to one month. Nougat is sensitive to moisture, so keeping the container properly closed will help prevent it becoming sticky or excessively soft.

If you stack the pieces, place sheets of baking parchment between the layers to help stop them sticking together.

For gifting, you can wrap individual pieces in cellophane once completely set, or arrange them in a tightly sealed Kilner-style glass jar.

Freezing

I don’t recommend freezing nougat.

It keeps very well in an airtight container, and freezing can introduce additional moisture during defrosting, which may make the surface sticky and affect the texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 piece (approximately 1/50 of the recipe)

Calories: 71.01 kcal · 4% DV
Total Fat: 3.09 g · 4% DV
Carbohydrates: 10.68 g · 4% DV
Sugars: 9.57 g · 11% DV
Protein: 0.93 g · 2% DV
Sodium: 4.33 mg · 0% DV
Fibre: 0.48 g · 2% DV

% Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

Nutritional information is provided as an estimate and may vary depending on the exact ingredients, brands and serving size used.

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