Nougatine

Nougatine is traditionally made of caramel and chopped or sliced almonds. Many variations exist with sesame seeds, coconut, pecan, walnuts, pistachios, peanuts (as in peanut brittle) and most other kinds of nuts. 

In Walnut nougatine strong nuts such as black walnuts may replace up to ¼ of the weight of walnuts.

It must be formed when it is hot. Mastering the speed that will make it profitable for the pastry chef will require practice.

Nougatine is used to make candies, decorate tortes, centerpieces (such as croquembouches), and specialty items (such as tops of cakes and candy containers). 

It is very hygroscopic and will require the same storage care as sugar work.

If nougatine is rolled too many times, and the almonds or nuts are reduced to small pieces, the nougatine can be cooled and crushed to make CRAQUELIN or PRALINE PASTE.

Nougatine Recipe  

Yields 1 lb. 13 oz.

1. 1 lb. Granulated sugar
2.  8 oz Glucose
3.  8 oz Blanched sliced almonds
4. 1 oz Butter 

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 325°F.

5. Place the sliced almonds on a paper-lined sheet pan. Reserve on a rack near the oven.
6. Line another sheet pan with a Silpat
7. Place the glucose in a large stainless steel pan and set on a gas burner.
8. Cook and stir it from time to time.
9. When the glucose starts to boil, gradually add the granulated sugar. The crystals of sugar should have time to melt between each addition of sugar.
10. When the sugar is almost entirely incorporated, place the sheet pan with the almonds in the oven. 
11. When the sugar is golden brown, remove the almonds from the oven, pick up both ends of the paper and pour the almonds gradually into the caramel. The sliced almonds are heated before they are incorporated into the caramel so they can blend without cooling the caramel. Cold almonds would break during the constant stirring.
12. Add the butter and stir a few times until it is completely incorporated.
13. Immediately dump the nougatine on the sheet pan lined with a sipat.
14. Keep the nougatine warm in the oven. If the heat of the oven is distributed from the floor or sole of the oven, it is preferable to place a second pan under the one with the nougatine.

Options:

Sesame nougatine. 

Replace almonds by sesame seeds.

Use .8 oz. black sesame and 12.7 oz. of white sesame seeds (both types are not toasted)

Add 1 oz. of lemon juice at the end of cooking to make the nougatine more pliable.

Methods of Working with Nougatine

Mise en Place:

1. Set your workstation on a sturdy table near or in front of an oven. 
2. The marble, on which you will roll the nougatine, is placed on a sheet pan and heated in a 350°F oven for 15 min. When the marble temperature reaches 150°F, remove it from the oven.
3. Plug in the heat gun used to keep the nougatine pliable.
4. The cutters and molds are within reach.
5. The patterns or molds are oiled.
6. The worktable is set up with the marble or stone slab on a towel.

Shaping:

1. Grab the nougatine with the two spatulas and place it on the marble.
2. Roll the nougatine as thin as possible if it is made for consumption. It can be pre-rolled, heated with the heat gun and rolled again.
3. The steel tube or roll used to laminate the nougatine is also used to hit the nougatine cutter.  This will give the nougatine nice, crisp contours.
4. Flat forms are pressed between perfectly flat, heavy baking pans and baking paper.
5. The forms can be sanded once they are cooled.
6. Always prepare the tray, support or base before assembling the pieces together. It is a good idea to have a mise en place of bases (wood, cardboard, gold foil tape and styrofoam), wrapping paper, ribbons and ruffles.
7. Elements can be assembled with cooked sugar.

The “Manuel Roret – Pâtissier” indicates that in the early 1800’s, the pastry chef used a slice of lemon to protect his fingers from the hot nougat while he was pressing it in the finely detailed molds. “Nougat” was the name used for what we know today as “nougatine”.

Craquelin and Praline  – Craquelin is made by grinding scrapes of nougatine that have already been rolled. The resulting ground nougatine is then sifted through sieves of differing mesh size and reserved for various uses. – In sponges, doughs and sauces.

Storage of Nougatine 

  Small nougatine pieces can be stored in airtight boxes with desiccant (Silica gel or Humisorb or lime) on the bottom.

  Large pieces are usually wrapped with plastic and stored in a dry, quiet corner of the bakeshop.

  I have also used a refrigerator that was no longer working. The door seals were still in excellent shape, and this was an inexpensive way to secure all the pieces in this airtight, dust-free environment.