What Is Nougat?
Nougat is a confection made by beating hot sugar or honey syrup into whipped egg whites, then folding in toasted nuts, and sometimes dried fruit, to create a dense, chewy candy.
More detail
The egg whites trap air as the hot syrup is beaten in, creating a light, almost marshmallow-like structure that then firms up as it cools, since there's far more sugar in the mix than in a typical meringue. The texture lands somewhere between chewy and slightly brittle depending on how far the sugar is cooked and how long the nougat is left to set. There are two broad categories: white nougat, made with whipped egg whites and honey, which is soft, pale, and springy (think Italian torrone or Spanish turrón), and brown nougat, made by caramelizing sugar without egg whites, which produces a firmer, denser, more toffee-like candy, the kind found layered inside many chocolate bars.
Where it's used
Nougat has roots in Mediterranean confectionery, with torrone in Italy and turrón in Spain traditionally made around Christmas using honey, egg whites, and almonds or hazelnuts. French nougat de Montélimar follows a similar formula. Brown nougat, the firmer style without egg whites, became widely known through mass-market candy bars, where it's layered with caramel and chocolate.
Substitutes
There's no true substitute for nougat's specific chewy-aerated texture, but marshmallow fluff folded with chopped toasted nuts can approximate its flavor and mouthfeel in a pinch for no-bake bars or candy layers.
FAQ
Is nougat the same as marshmallow?
No. Marshmallow is whipped sugar syrup, egg whites (or gelatin), and air, with a soft, springy texture, while nougat uses a much higher ratio of sugar to egg white and typically includes nuts, giving it a denser, chewier bite.
Why is some nougat white and some brown?
White nougat is made by whipping hot honey or sugar syrup into egg whites, which keeps it pale and aerated. Brown nougat skips the egg whites and instead cooks the sugar until it caramelizes, giving it a darker color and firmer, less airy texture.
Does nougat contain gluten?
Traditional nougat made from sugar, honey, egg whites, and nuts is naturally gluten-free, but some commercial versions add wheat-based glucose syrup or are processed in facilities that handle gluten, so it's worth checking the label.
Why is nougat sometimes sticky or hard to cut?
Stickiness usually means the sugar syrup wasn't cooked to a high enough temperature before being beaten into the egg whites. Cutting it with a lightly oiled or powdered-sugar-dusted knife helps prevent it from sticking to the blade.