Best 7 French Almond Nougat Recipes

CHEWY ALMOND NOUGAT

Steps:

• Heavily butter a 15x10x1-in. pan; set aside. Heavily butter a large bowl; set aside. In a stand mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture cones to a boil, about 10 minutes. (If sugar crystals are present, cover and boil for 1-2 minutes to allow steam to wash crystals down.) Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft ball stage), about 6-8 minutes., With mixer running carefully and slowly add hot liquid in a steady stream over egg whites. Beat 10 minutes longer or until mixture holds its shape and is lukewarm. (Mixture will be beginning to lose its gloss.) Transfer to prepared bowl., For almond mixture, in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and corn syrup. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a boil, about 15 minutes. (If sugar crystals are present, cover and boil for 1-2 minutes to allow steam to wash crystals down.) With a clean spoon, cook and stir over medium-high heat until a candy thermometer reads 275° (soft-crack stage), about 15 minutes longer., Pour over mixture in bowl (do not scrape saucepan). With a large wooden spoon, stir until blended. Combine butter and vanilla; gradually add to almond mixture until blended. Stir in almonds and salt until blended. Transfer to prepared pan. Let stand at room temperature for several hours or until firm. Cut into squares. Wrap in plastic or waxed paper if desired.

FRENCH NOUGATINE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Roast the pistachios in the oven for 10 minutes and immediately transfer to a sheet pan. When the pistachios are cool, transfer them to a greased sheet pan.
• Line a 1 pound (4 1/2-by-8 1/2-by-2 2/3-inch) bread loaf pan with plastic wrap.
• Combine the 4 ounces of sugar with 3 tablespoons water in a small heavy saucepan. Cook until caramel is light amber. Immediately pour over the pistachios and give them a quick shake. Allow the brittle to cool, then chop it into pistachio-size bits. Set aside. Whip the eggs whites with the pinch of salt until stiff, set aside in a large bowl.
• Whip the heavy cream with the 1 cup of sugar, vanilla and almond extracts. Fold the egg whites and whipped cream gently together. Add the chopped nut praline and fold it into egg/whipped cream mixture. Place the mixture into the lined loaf pan.
• Fold the plastic wrap over the top to cover. Freeze 8 hours or overnight.
• For the sauce, blend the raspberries, sugar and lemon zest in a food processor. Strain the mixture and refrigerate.
• At least 20 minutes before serving, combine 1 pint of fresh raspberries with the framboise in a small bowl and macerate.
• When ready to serve, remove the nougatine from loaf pan, unwrap, and slice. Serve each slice with the berry sauce and/or macerated raspberries.

ALMOND CROISSANTS RECIPE (FRENCH BAKERY STYLE)

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water, 2 Tbsp sugar and 4 Tbsp rum. Bring to a simmer for a minute and stir until the sugar dissolves then remove from heat and let cool to room temp.
• If using whole almonds: combine 1/2 cup sugar, 2/3 cup almonds and 1/8 tsp salt in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until finely ground. Add the butter, and mix again until well blended. Add in the eggs one by one, and process on high speed until creamy and fluffy.
• If using almond meal or almond flour: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup almond meal and 1/8 tsp salt. Mix until well incorporated, then blend in the butter. Finally add the eggs 1 at a time and mix on med/high speed until the whole mixture is creamy and fluffy with a frosting-like consistency.
• Preheat the oven to 350° F . Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• After your croissants have been on the counter drying out overnight, and you're ready to use them, slice each croissant horizontally like you would for a sandwich.
• Work with each croissant one by one: dip it into the syrup, coating both sides and the ends well. The croissant should be quite moist, but not soaking wet. Just dip it once on each side.
• Arrange the croissants on a baking dish, cut side up. Spread about 2 Tbsp of almond filling on the bottom half of each croissant.
• Place the top halves on and spread about 1 Tbsp of almond filling over the top. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.
• Bake on the center rack for 15 to 18 minutes,or until the cream is golden. Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature or just warm. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. These are best served the same day they are made.

ALMOND NOUGAT PARFAIT WITH ORANGE COULIS

Steps:

• For caramelized almonds: Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place almonds on a baking sheet and warm in oven for 10 minutes.
• In a large sauté pan, combine sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil over high heat. When sugar has dissolved, add warm almonds and, stirring constantly, cook until sugar crystallizes. Continue to cook until sugar melts again and coats almonds. Remove from heat and turn almonds onto a clean work surface, separating almonds to avoid sticking. Allow to cool, then crush or roughly chop, setting aside 1/4 cup for garnish.
• For nougat parfait: Whisk heavy cream until stiff, and refrigerate until needed. Place egg whites in bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Place honey in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Whisk egg whites until they start to thicken, then slowly drizzle in the hot honey, gradually increasing speed of mixer until it is at full speed. Continue to whisk egg whites until they are very thick and completely cool (bowl will feel cool), about 4 minutes.
• Fold in crushed almonds (except those reserved for garnish) and diced orange candy. Gently fold in whipped cream until blended. Place mixture in a gallon sealable plastic bag with one corner cut off, and pipe it onto a baking sheet in large mounds like meringues. Alternatively, it may be placed in a pastry bag with a large plain tip and piped into 12 1 1/2-inch stainless steel cylinder molds. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours, before serving.
• For orange coulis: In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Over medium heat, cook until it becomes an amber caramel. Meanwhile, in a second small pan over low heat, gently heat orange juice. When sugar has reached correct color, remove from heat and slowly add orange juice. Return to heat and cook to dissolve any hardened bits of sugar. Continue to reduce until slightly thickened, then remove from heat and allow to cool.
• To serve, if using molds, warm each mold with your hands to release it and place two unmolded parfaits on each plate. If using meringue-shaped parfaits, place two or three (depending on size and quantity) on each plate. Drizzle orange coulis around each plate, and sprinkle with reserved caramelized almonds.

CLASSIC NOUGAT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Scatter the nuts over a baking tray and toast in the oven for 10 mins, then set aside (they don't need to cool). Cut the two pieces of rice paper to fit a 20 x 20cm square tin. Line the tin with one sheet of rice paper, brush the sides of the tin with oil, then dust the tin with icing sugar.
• Put the honey into a saucepan, then in another saucepan tip in the sugar, glucose and 100ml of water. Put the egg whites in the very clean bowl of a tabletop mixer with a whisk attachment and whisk on a low speed. Heat and boil the honey until it reaches 121C on a digital cooking thermometer, then straightaway pour the honey over the egg whites and set the speed to medium. While the whites and honey are whisking, bring the sugar and water to the boil and keep boiling until the syrup reaches 145C exactly on a digital cooking thermometer. Pour the hot syrup in a slow, steady stream into the beating egg white mixture. Continue beating for about 10 mins until you have a thick, glossy, firm meringue. It's hard to over-whisk at this stage but easy to under-whisk, so keep going until the meringue looks like sticky chewing gum.
• Use a spatula to stir though the nuts (which should still be warm), the vanilla extract and a small pinch of salt. Scrape the mixture into the lined tin, then smooth over to spread the mixture out evenly (if you have an offset spatula, now is the time to use it). Finally, top with the remaining sheet of rice paper and press down. Leave the nougat to set for at least 2 hrs or overnight.
• To turn out and portion, use a spatula to loosen the edges of the nougat away from the tin, then invert the tin on to a clean board and use a sharp serated, hot knife to portion into bars or squares. The nougat will keep, stored in an airtight container, for up to a month.

ALMOND NOUGAT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Add hazelnuts and whole almonds to cookie sheet. Toast until golden, about 10 minutes.
• Add sugar, corn syrup, honey, salt and water in a heavy bottomed saucepot (3 quart).
• Over medium heat, stir mixture until sugar dissolves.
• Continue cooking, without stirring until syrup reaches the hard ball stage, reading 252 degrees F. on a candy thermometer.
• Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form.
• While mixer is on, in a thin steady stream, pour ¼ cup of hot syrup over egg whites, beating at high speed until mixture is stiff enough to hold its shape, about 5 minutes.
• Continue to cook the remaining syrup to brittle threads, reading 315 to 318 degrees F. on a candy thermometer.
• While mixer is on, in a thin steady stream, pour remaining hot syrup over egg whites, beating at high speed until mixture is stiff enough to hold its shape.
• Add vanilla extract, almond extract and butter, beating again for about 5 minutes.
• Stir in toasted nuts and ground almonds with a wooden spoon.
• Transfer mixture to a buttered 11 x 7 x 1 ¼-inch pan.
• Smooth the mixture evenly with a spatula.
• Refrigerate until firm.
• Loosen edges of candy with a knife. Invert nougat on cutting board.
• Cut into pieces. Store in airtight container.

LEMONY ALMOND NOUGAT

Steps:

• Place 1 piece of rice paper on a 9-by-13-inch rimmed (quarter) baking sheet.
• Combine sugar, honey, corn syrup, and water in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture just begins to simmer, about 10 minutes. Cook, undisturbed, until mixture registers 300 to 305 degrees on a candy thermometer, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile (when syrup reaches 270 degrees), whisk whites with a mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. When hot sugar mixture is ready, pour it into whites in a slow, steady stream. Whisk until mixture cools and thickens, about 10 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low, and add vanilla, almonds, lemon zest, and salt. Working quickly, spread mixture evenly on rice paper. Place remaining piece of rice paper on top, pressing to flatten. Let cool on a wire rack. Once cool, cover nougat with plastic wrap, and let dry for at least 2 days or up to 1 week.
• Run a knife around edges of sheet to loosen nougat, and invert nougat onto a cutting board. Trim each edge to straighten. Cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-wide slices. (Dip knife in water between each cut.) Cut each slice into 1 1/2-inch-long pieces. Wrap each piece in cellophane.