Dried Fruit Nougats Recipes

CLASSIC NOUGAT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Scatter the nuts over a baking tray and toast in the oven for 10 mins, then set aside (they don't need to cool). Cut the two pieces of rice paper to fit a 20 x 20cm square tin. Line the tin with one sheet of rice paper, brush the sides of the tin with oil, then dust the tin with icing sugar.
• Put the honey into a saucepan, then in another saucepan tip in the sugar, glucose and 100ml of water. Put the egg whites in the very clean bowl of a tabletop mixer with a whisk attachment and whisk on a low speed. Heat and boil the honey until it reaches 121C on a digital cooking thermometer, then straightaway pour the honey over the egg whites and set the speed to medium. While the whites and honey are whisking, bring the sugar and water to the boil and keep boiling until the syrup reaches 145C exactly on a digital cooking thermometer. Pour the hot syrup in a slow, steady stream into the beating egg white mixture. Continue beating for about 10 mins until you have a thick, glossy, firm meringue. It's hard to over-whisk at this stage but easy to under-whisk, so keep going until the meringue looks like sticky chewing gum.
• Use a spatula to stir though the nuts (which should still be warm), the vanilla extract and a small pinch of salt. Scrape the mixture into the lined tin, then smooth over to spread the mixture out evenly (if you have an offset spatula, now is the time to use it). Finally, top with the remaining sheet of rice paper and press down. Leave the nougat to set for at least 2 hrs or overnight.
• To turn out and portion, use a spatula to loosen the edges of the nougat away from the tin, then invert the tin on to a clean board and use a sharp serated, hot knife to portion into bars or squares. The nougat will keep, stored in an airtight container, for up to a month.

DRIED CHERRY NOUGAT GLACE

Steps:

• To make the praline, combine the sugar and water in a sauce pan and cook mixture, stirring and washing down any sugar crystals with a brush dipped in water, until mixture is clear. Let it cook, undisturbed, until deep golden.
• To caramelized sugar add the hazelnuts. Stir to coat.
• Oil a marble slab. Pour the mixture onto the marble, smooth it into even layer and let it cool completely. Once cooled, chop into approximately 1/4- inch pieces.
• To make the Italian meringue, combine in a pan the sugar, lavender honey, and the water. Cook it following same procedure as for praline, until a candy thermometer registers hard ball stage 248 degrees.
• Beat 3 egg whites to soft peaks. With machine running add, in a stream, the cooked sugar syrup. Beat until completely cool.
• Macerate 1 1/2 cups dried cherries in 1/4 cup kirsch for 30 minutes. Then drain over a bowl Whip 2 cups heavy cream.
• Fold half the praline, half the drained cherries and half the whipped cream into the meringue. Then do it again. Transfer to an 8 cup terrine, lined with plastic wrap. Cover mold with plastic wrap and freeze overnight. Unmold, remove the plastic wrap, and slice.

DRIED FRUIT AND NUTS

Steps:

• Combine nuts and fruit.

DRIED FRUIT ENERGY NUGGETS

Steps:

• Whizz apricots with dates and cherries in a food processor until very finely chopped. Tip into a bowl and use your hands to work in coconut oil. Shape the mix into walnut-sized balls, then roll in sesame seeds. Store in an airtight container until you need a quick energy fix.

DRIED FRUIT NOUGATS

Steps:

• Combine all dried fruits in a food processor until almost pastelike. Mix in honey, juice, and cocoa. Cover. Refrigerate until chilled. Roll into 36 1 1/4-inch balls.