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Homemade nougat

Ingredients

• 2 sheets edible rice paper
• 515 ml castor sugar
• 100 ml liquid glucose
• 80 ml honey
• 125 ml water
• 2 egg whites
• 300 g whole almonds (with skin)
• 3 x 75 g tubs mixed red, green and yellow glacé cherries
• 10 ml rose water

Method

1. Line a 19cm x 26cm pan with baking paper. Cut 1 of the rice paper sheets to fit the base and place in the pan.
2. Stir 500 ml of the sugar, glucose, honey and water in a small saucepan on medium. Brush the sides of the saucepan with a wet brush to dissolve sugar crystals that form around the sides of the saucepan. Bring to a boil for about 20 minutes until soft crack stage forms or until the mixture reaches around 140°C on a sugar thermometer.
3. Start beating the egg whites just before the sugar syrup reaches the desired temperature and continue until stiff peaks form. Beat in the remaining 15 ml sugar until glossy. (The trick is to have the eggs beaten and sugar syrup ready at the same time.)
4. Slowly add the hot syrup in a steady stream directly onto the egg whites while beating, until combined. Beat for 1 minute or until it starts to thicken. (Don’t beat for too long or it will become hard and difficult to spread into the tray.)
5. Stir in the nuts, cherries and rose water. Spoon into prepared pan and spread evenly. Cover with remaining rice paper. Set aside to cool and set for at least 2 hours.
6. Turn out, remove baking paper and cut into squares using a serrated knife. Store in an airtight container in a cool place. Do not refrigerate.



It’s really not that difficult to make your own nougat – just give it a try.
(I always get my rice paper at the Chinese shop in the Hidas Centre in Windhoek).








Janina Clinning
Cell: 081 450 0190