- 1
Ingredients
- 4 Egg Whites
- 2 Cups Granulated Sugar
- 1 and 1/2 Cups Honey
- 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 and 1/2 Cups Pistachios, shells removed
- 1 Cup Dried Cranberries
- 1 Tablespoon Water
- Pinch of Salt
- Pinch of Cream of Tartar
- Parchment paper to line and cover a 9 x 13 inch pan
Preparation
Step 1
Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with wafer paper and set aside. In a medium-large and thick-bottomed pot, heat the sugar, honey, and water over medium-high heat until the temperature reaches 315 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring every five minutes and then more often once the temperature exceeds 250 degrees. (The mixture will get very foamy and bubbly on top the hotter it gets, this is supposed to happen so don't get scared.) Once it reaches 315 degrees Fahrenheit turn off the heat and allow it to cool down to about 300 degrees while you start beating the egg whites.
Beat the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar with a whisk attachment at medium-high speed until firm peaks form. Then slowly drizzle in the melted sugar-honey mixture in a thin but continuous stream (still beating at a medium-high speed) until all of the sugar-honey mixture has been added (it should take
about 4 minutes to add it all, just to give you an idea of how slowly it should be incorporated).
Continue beating the mixture at medium-high speed for 15-20 minutes until it has roughly tripled in volume. It will start out very golden in color but as it is whipped it will begin to turn ivory. Then add the powdered sugar a little at a time over a period of about two minutes and continue mixing until it is fully incorporated. Then mix in the pistachios and dried cranberries at a lower speed.
Scoop the mixture out into the baking pan (you will probably need another person to hold the bowl while you scoop out the nougat, as it will be very thick, sticky, and heavy). Distribute it as evenly as you can. If you have some extra pistachios or dried cranberries you can sprinkle a handful over the top of the nougat.
Place a sheet of wafer paper on top of the nougat and roll a rolling pin over the top to help smooth the sheet of wafer paper onto the nougat Allow to cool for 3 hours, then flip the pan over and unmold the nougat onto a flat surface to continue cooling for another 3 hours. Then cut the nougat using a well-greased knife into 2-inch wide strips and then into 3-inch long pieces. (You may need to re-grease your knife from time to time during the cutting process). Your nougat is complete!