Homemade Pistachio Almond Nougat Candy Bars
This French nougat candy bars recipe show you how to make homemade nougat from scratch. These are the best almond and pistachio nougat bars, especially enjoyed at Christmas time.
Belula
October 20, 2021
Nougat is a sugar confection made with sugar, honey, whipped egg whites and roasted nuts. The texture is chewy and filled with flavors that make me think of Christmas. This homemade nougat recipe will show you all the trick and tips on how to make the best almond & pistachio nougat candy bars. I know making nougat can sound a little intimidating, but it is not. The only requirement that you need to have is a candy thermometer. You'll find that the instructions are simple and there are some easy tips to ensure nougat success! Hope you love this recipe as much as I do!
Ingredient & Utensils Notes
How to make this recipe
To make this almond pistachio nougat recipe you just need 5 components.
- Whipped egg whites
- A sugar syrup cooked to 122 C° (252 F)
- A sugar syrup cooked to 145 C° (293 F)
- Roasted nuts (that should be kept hot)
After gathering them up, it is only a matter of adding one after the other into the whipped egg whites, in the order listed above, until the desired consistency of nougat is reached.
Recipe Notes
- Prepping before starting out to make this recipe is crucial to success. Neither cooked sugar nor whipped egg whites can wait. So be you're ready once you start.
- Prepare your materials in advance, laying out everything you will need on your countertop.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper, sprinkle with cornstarch and place the cake ring on top. You will be pouring the almond nougat inside and don't want it to stick.
- Make sure you spray the cake ring with baking spray!
- When adding the syrup into the whipped egg whites, pour it in slowly, keeping the mixer at low speed, trying not to touch the whisk. Aim for the edge of the bowl.
- After the second syrup has been poured into the egg whites, whisk for 15 of minutes and then replace the whisk with the paddle attachment before adding in the hot nuts.
- The hot roasted nuts should be added into the nougat once it is done.
- To keep roasted nuts warm, keep them in the oven at 120 C° until ready to use.
Expert Notes
- You can tell the almond pistachio nougat is ready by doing the following test: take a little bit of the nougat, cover it in water and then throw it against your counter. If it breaks a little, then it's done.
- Work with one sugar syrup at a time, however, have both ready to cook and on the stove.
Storage Tips
Nougat must be kept in an airtight container. This candy bars can be kept for up to 1 month.
You can also wrap them in cellophane paper for an extra layer of protection from humidity!
Variations to this recipe
You can make this nougat almond only by replacing the pistachios.
You can replace all the sugar syrup with honey, respecting the same temperatures for cooking it and mixing it into the egg whites.
You can also use rice paper instead of parchment paper, which won't be removed once the nougat candy bars set. They are edible.
The ingredients used in all recipes on this site are measured using the metric system. I use a
scale to be precise with my measurements and ensure good results. If you would also like to use a scale, here are some:
USA,
Canada,
UK,
Australia,
France.
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Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 16 nougat bars
Nutrition: 328 cal
Cuisine: French
Sugar Cooked to 145 C°
-
Granulated Sugar
115 g
-
Glucose Syrup
115 g
-
Water
40 g
Sugar Cooked to 122 C°
-
Granulated Sugar
215 g
-
Glucose Syrup
215 g
-
Honey
60 g
-
Water
70 g
Whipped Egg Whites
-
Egg Whites
100 g
-
Granulated Sugar
20 g
Nougat Candy Bars Garnish
-
Whole Almonds
290 g
-
Whole Pistachios
200 g
-
Cornstarch
- 1. Prep the materials: Weight all the ingredients and prepare 3 pots, the bowl of the stand mixer, the whisk, and the paddle attachment. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and sprinkle with cornstarch. Place a 20x20 cake ring (sprayed with baking spray) on the baking tray. Place a small rolling pin or scraper next to the baking tray. Weight all the ingredients.
- 2. Prepare the sugar syrups: Place the water, the sugar and corn syrup for the 145 C° in a small pot (in that order). Don’t mix. Also, place the water, the sugar, the honey, and corn syrup for the 122 C° syrup in a pot (in that order).
- 3. Cook the almond pistachio nougat: Place the pot with the ingredients for the 122 C° syrup over high heat and cook to 122 C°. Verify the temperature using a thermometer. Once the syrup reaches 110 C° start whipping the egg whites with the sugar until it has reached soft peaks. Once the whites are whipped, lower down the mixer speed and add the 122 C° syrup, continue mixing at medium/high speed. In the meantime, place the small pot with the remaining sugar syrup ingredients and bring it to 145 C° syrup. Once its ready, lower the speed of the mixer and pour the syrup cooked to 145 C° over the meringue, gently and avoiding the whisk, aim for the edge of the mixing bowl. Continue mixing for another 15 minutes, until the meringue is firm.
- 4. Finish off the nougat: In the meantime, heat the almonds and pistachios to 120 °C in the oven, and keep them there until ready to add into the nougat. After 15 minutes, take a little bit of the nougat, cover in water, and then throw against your counter. If it breaks a little, then it’s done. Replace the whisk with the paddle attachment and mix in in the hot almonds and pistachios. Pour the nougat into the square ring you prepared earlier and spread it evenly using a scraper or a small off set spatula. Then cover with a piece of parchment paper slightly sprinkled with cornstarch. Let the nougat set overnight.
- 5. Cut the nougat candy bars: Once the nougat has completely cooled off and set, remove the parchment paper, place on a cutting board, and cut into 5 cm square bars. Wrap each bar with cellophane paper and keep stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
If you made this recipe I would really appreciate it if you leave a rating or comment below! Also, if you share on social media please use #cookwithbelula, I would love to see what you create!
