The March 2014 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Rebecca of BakeNQuilt. She challenged us to learn to make classic nougat and to make it our own with our choice of flavors and add-ins.
It’s been a terribly long time since I’ve been able to join in any cooking or baking events. I’ve missed it. I am so pleased to be able to join in BOTH Daring Kitchen challenges this month.
I have had this Martha Stewart Torrone recipe on deck for a LONG time and made my own changes to it, but felt the base recipe was easy enough for me to handle!
And you-know-who is screaming WHY? And in the same breath WHERE’S MINE??
This was a bit fiddley. I was a bit hampered by not being in my own kitchen. I used a hand mixer that’s affixed to a bowl that turns, so it was a semi-stand mixer type piece of equipment … but not really.
It needs to sit and ‘dry’ a bit more, but man oh man, this is tasty stuff!
2 pieces edible rice paper, (9 by 13 inches each) wafer paper
1 C sugar
1/2 C honey
3 T light corn syrup
1/2 C water
2 large egg whites, room temperature
1 t pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 C shelled salted pistachios, (about 7 ounces)
1 1/3 C unsweetened finely shredded coconut, (about 4 ounces)
3/4 C dried cherries
Place 1 piece of rice paper in a 9×13-inch rimmed baking sheet; set aside.
NOTE: I lightly buttered the sides of the baking dish. You’re going to trim them off anyway so it just makes removing the Torrone easier.
Put sugar, honey, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture just begins to simmer and sugar has dissolved, about 6 minutes. Continue to cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer.
NOTE: Aside from the no stand mixer problem, I also suffered from a no CANDY THERMOMETER problem. 300 degrees is hard ball stage. Drop a tiny amount of the boiling sugar into a cup with cold water, when it becomes a hard, crunchy mass once in the water, you’re done.
Meanwhile, put egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Raise speed to high. Pour hot honey mixture into egg-white mixture in a slow, steady stream, and beat until mixture has cooled and thickened and begins to stick to whisk, about 10 minutes.
Reduce speed to medium-low; beat in vanilla, pistachios, coconut, and cranberries.
Working quickly, spread mixture into prepared dish. Place another sheet of rice paper on top; press down to flatten and spread evenly. Let cool on wire rack at least 3 hours, or overnight.
Cut around edges of Torrone to loosen. Remove from baking sheet; transfer to a cutting board. Trim edges to be straight. Using a long, sharp knife, cut crosswise into 3/4-inch slices.