Nougat

Nougat is a confection made from sugar or honey, often combined with whipped egg whites and nuts, and sometimes fruit or other flavourings.

Nougat is a confection made from sugar or honey, often combined with whipped egg whites and nuts, and sometimes fruit or other flavourings. It can be soft and chewy or hard and brittle, and is used both as a stand-alone sweet and as a filling in candy bars and chocolates. In Canada, nougat is widely available in imported confectionery and in chocolate bars sold by major manufacturers.

Definition

Nougat is a sweet confection made from a sugar or honey base, typically mixed with nuts and sometimes fruit. Standard dictionary and reference sources describe it as a chewy, brittle, or firm candy.

Ingredients and preparation

Traditional nougat is made by cooking sugar or honey, then combining it with egg whites or egg albumen and nuts. The exact method and ingredients affect whether the final product is soft, chewy, or hard.

History and regional forms

Britannica identifies nougat as originating in Mediterranean countries, where honey and nuts were beaten into egg whites and sun-dried. Later traditions and regional names have developed across Europe and the Middle East.

Use in confectionery

Nougat is eaten on its own and is also a common filling or layer in candy bars and chocolates. Many commercial sweets use nougat for its sweet flavour and chewy texture.