Frozen Nougat
From the roadside stands in the French countryside to the village shops of Greece to the markets of Italy, wherever I spot a market vendor selling jars of thick, sticky, locally produced honey, I feel obligated to buy some. If you think all honey is the same, you haven’t tasted ruggedly bitter Italian chestnut honey or the syrupy, aromatic lavender honey from sunny Provence. This recipe is a good way to use any type of interesting honey that you may have in your pantry. Be sure to use the freshest, crispest, best-quality pistachios you can find. And never toast them, which subdues their vibrant green color.
Before preparing this recipe, see Caramelization Guidelines, page 265.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 1 quart (1 liter)
Ingredients
Praline
Frozen nougat
Preparation
Step 1
To make the praline, lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with a silicone baking mat. Spread the 1/3 cup (65 g) sugar in an even layer in a medium heavy-bottomed skillet and cook over medium heat without stirring until the sugar begins to melt around the edges. Using a heatproof utensil, slowly drag the liquified sugar to the center and stir gently until all the sugar is melted. Continue to cook, stirring infrequently, until the caramel is dark amber in color and begins to foam a bit. Immediately stir in the almonds until evenly coated. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread it in an even layer. Let cool completely. The praline will harden with cooling.
Step 2
Once cool, break up the praline with your hands. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade or with a chef’s knife, chop the praline into small pieces.
Step 3
To make the frozen nougat, in a small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, heat the honey and the 2 tablespoons (30 g) sugar over medium heat. When the syrup reaches about 200°F (100°C), in a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, start whisking the egg whites and salt at medium-high speed. When the whites form soft peaks and the syrup has climbed to 250°F (121°C), with the mixer running, slowly dribble the syrup into the whites, being careful to avoid pouring syrup on the beater (the beater will fling the syrup onto the sides of the bowl, where it will stick). Continue whisking until the meringue has completely cooled.
Step 4
In the stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or in a bowl by hand), whisk the cream on medium-high speed until it holds soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the meringue, then fold in the pistachios, orange-flower water, orange zest, crushed praline, and candied orange peel. Transfer to a shallow container and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
Serving
Step 5
Serve scoops of frozen nougat unadorned or sprinkled with additional toasted sliced almonds and drizzled with Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce (page 243). Other options for accompaniments are sliced ripe pears or Figs Roasted with Chartreuse and Honey (page 154).
tips
Step 6
A quantity of syrup this small is easy to overheat. If you do, add a few tablespoons of water to cool it down and cook until the temperature again reads 250°F (121°C).
Step 7
Orange-flower water is sold in Middle Eastern markets and well-stocked supermarkets.
