Nougat
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nougat is a term used to describe a variety of similar confectioneries made with sugar or honey, roasted nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios or hazelnuts are common) and sometimes chopped candied fruit. The consistency of nougat can range from chewy to hard depending on its composition.
[edit] Distribution and popularity
In southern Europe, where it is likely to have originated, nougat is largely associated with the Christmas season.[1] Traditional nougat candy is produced mainly in Spain (where it is called turrón, or, in Catalan, torró) and in Cremona, Italy (where it is called torrone); Montélimar, France; and Belgium.
Nougat is enjoyed in Australasia and the Far East as well. It is sold as a gourmet confection in both areas: producers' web sites are often bilingual in English and Chinese. In the U.S., many types of inexpensive candy bars include a type of nougat, typically in combination with chocolate. Although this is the most common use of nougat in the U.S., traditional versions imported from Europe are sold at many ethnic and international markets, and are particularly popular in the corresponding European-American communities.
[edit] Variations
There are two basic kinds of nougat: white and brown. White nougat is made with beaten egg whites and is soft, whereas brown nougat is made with caramelized sugar and has a firmer, often crunchy texture.
Spanish turrón follows the traditional recipes with toasted almonds (66%), sugar, honey (12%) and egg whites. Torrone from Italy includes these same basic ingredients as well as vanilla or citrus flavoring, and is often sandwiched between two very thin sheets of edible wafer.[2][3]
Australian nougat is produced by a similar method to French nougat but usually has a 50% almond content and no pistachios, although it can contain Macadamia nuts, apricots, or other texture modifiers. The nougat is commonly produced in two varieties: soft and crunchy. During candy making, this is done by heating a sugar solution to different temperatures before folding in egg whites and honey.
A totally different nougat type is called "Wiener (Viennese) Nougat", or, in German, "Schmelz-Schokolade" (molten chocolate, because of its mellow consistency), which contains only sugar, cocoa butter, almonds, and cocoa mass.
Persian nougat, known as gaz, is a variety that has been produced in Isfahan, Iran for many centuries by Ashrafi nougat and other traditional producers. It contains the sugary extract of the root of Sweetvetch (Hedysarum sp.).
The "nougat" used as an ingredient in many modern candy bars is not similar to traditional recipes, but is a mixture of sucrose and corn syrup aerated with a whipping agent such as egg white or hydrolyzed soya protein. It may also have vegetable fats and milk powder added, and is typically combined with nuts, caramel, and/or chocolate. In contrast, European confections feature nougat as the primary component, rather than one of several. Milky Way/Mars, Snickers, 3 Musketeers, and Baby Ruth all have different types of "nougat".
