Nougat

Nougat is a sweet and delightful candy made primarily from sugar, roasted nuts, and candied fruits.

Our homemade marshmallow nougat is a simplified version of traditional nougat that uses melted marshmallows as a binder, providing the chewy, sweet base for the nougat.

As the mixture (roasted nuts, dried fruits, and crackers) comes together, you’ll experience a symphony of flavors and textures – from the crunch of roasted nuts to the chewy sweetness of dried fruit, all harmonized by the soft and chewy marshmallow filling.

The process of making nougat with marshmallow involves melting the marshmallows with butter in a pan, then adding other ingredients like nuts and fruits, mixing them together until well combined, and allowing the mixture to set before cutting it into pieces. This method is much quicker and easier than traditional nougat recipes, which involve cooking sugar syrup to specific temperatures. However, the result is still a delicious and satisfying confection with a soft, chewy texture.

Tips for making nougat at home

1. Preparation for Nonstick Surfaces

Dusting the baking pan with milk powder or lightly greasing it with cooking spray helps prevent sticking and ensures easy removal of the nougat.

In my case, despite using a brand-new nonstick baking pan, I decided to skip the dusting step. This led to my nougat adhering stubbornly to the pan. Therefore, even when using a nonstick baking pan, I highly recommend adhering to the dusting procedure.

2. Avoid Over Melting Butter and Marshmallows

When melting the butter and marshmallows, stir continuously over medium-low heat to prevent burning.
As you melt the marshmallows, promptly incorporate the milk powder when the marshmallows reach a halfway melted consistency.

– What does “halfway melted marshmallows” means?

The halfway melted marshmallows should appear partially softened and gooey, with some portions retaining their original shape while others have started to collapse and blend into a sticky mass. They may have a slightly glossy or shiny surface where the melting process has begun, but the marshmallow hasn’t fully liquefied yet.

The duration of marshmallow melting in the pan directly affects the firmness of your nougat. As we continue to mix in the remaining ingredients, the marshmallows will continue to melt further. If we wait until the marshmallows are fully melted before adding the rest of the ingredients, the nougat will become very firm and exceedingly hard to chew.

3. Mixing Milk Powder

Milk powder helps absorb excess moisture in the nougat mixture, preventing it from becoming too wet or sticky or gooey. It also adds a subtle creamy and milky flavor to nougat, complementing the sweetness of the other ingredients.

4. Other Ingredients

Before incorporating the remaining ingredients into the pan, it’s essential to turn off the heat. The residual heat present in the pan is adequate to ensure thorough mixing of all ingredients with the melted marshmallows.

5. Pressing into Pan

Before the mixture cools down and turns firm, quicky transfer it to the prepared baking pan. Use lightly greased hands or food handling gloves to press the mixture evenly into the pan. Sprinkle a fine layer of milk powder over the top surface, so that both sides of the nougat are coated, preventing sticking when cutting it later.

6. Slicing and Serving

Once fully set, transfer the nougat to a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice it into bars. Before making your final cuts, lightly score the nougat with the knife. This helps create guidelines for where to cut and prevents the nougat from squishing as you slice through it. I personally made 7 horizontal cuts and 3 vertical cuts to yield 32 pieces of nougat. However, feel free to customize the shape and size according to your preference.

EQUIPMENT

• Kitchen scale
• Nonstick large frying pan
• Nonstick baking pan (I used a 9″ square baking pan.)
• Food safe rubber gloves

INGREDIENTS  

• 500 g marshmallow (I used regular size marshmallows. You can also mini marshmallows, which will melt even more effortlessly.)
• 125 g Unsalted butter
• 125 g milk powder
• 85 g freeze-dried strawberry slices
• 50 g dried fruits (I used dried cranberries. You can also use dried cherries, chopped dried mangoes or apricots.)
• 50 g roasted nuts (I used peanuts. You can also use almonds, cashews, pecans, pistachios, or a mix of them.)
• 200 g Ritz crackers (I used RITZ Peanut Butter Sandwich Cracker. You can also use the Ritz Original Crackers without the peanut butter filling.)

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Dust a square baking pan with a thin layer of milk powder, or grease it lightly with cooking spray.

2. In a large nonstick frying pan, add butter, stir constantly over medium low heat until the butter melts completely.

3. Incorporate the marshmallows into the frying pan, stirring continuously over medium-low heat until they are halfway melted.

• The marshmallows should appear partially softened and gooey, with some portions retaining their original shape while others have started to collapse and blend into a sticky mass. They may have a slightly glossy or shiny surface where the melting process has begun, but the marshmallow hasn’t fully liquefied yet. As we continue to mix in the remaining ingredients, the marshmallows will continue to melt further. If we wait until the marshmallows are fully melted before adding the rest of the ingredients, the nougat will become very firm and exceedingly hard to chew.

4. Quickly mix in the milk powder, stirring constantly over medium-low heat until no dry powder remains in the pan.

5. Turn off the heat, quickly add the rest of the ingredients into the pan, and stir continuously over the residual heat until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.

6. Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Lightly grease your hands or wear a pair of food handling gloves to press the mixture evenly into the pan. Sprinkle a thin layer of milk powder over the top surface of the nougat.

7. Allow the nougat to cool and set in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or until firm.

8. After the nougat has fully set, take it out of the baking pan and transfer it to a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice it into 32 bars.

9. Serve the nougat immediately or store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

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