Fluffy Vanilla Nougat Food

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.

SOFT VANILLA NOUGAT

Steps:

• 1 Put the ice in a medium bowl and set aside.
• 2 Put the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and set aside.
• 3 Stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil without stirring until the mixture reaches 235°F/114°C on a candy thermometer, about 6 minutes.
• 4 Begin whipping the egg whites on low speed for about 1 minute, just until they are a little frothy. Continue cooking the sugar syrup until it reaches 245°F/118°C. (If your temperature goes higher, shock the syrup by setting the pan in the bowl of ice.) Pour a splash of the syrup into the egg whites, aiming for the space between the rim of the bowl and the whisk attachment. Continue whisking as you slowly add the rest of the hot sugar syrup. Increase the mixer speed to medium and whip until the nougat reaches a full, frothy foam, about 2 minutes.
• 5 Add the vanilla seeds and salt to the nougat. Keep whipping until it forms stiff peaks, about 3 minutes more. Allow to cool in the bowl. Once it is at room temperature, it's ready to use in candy-bar production.

CHOCOLATE COVERED NOUGATS

Steps:

• Combine the cornstarch and powdered sugar in a small bowl. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper with wings coming up a few inches off the sides. Spray it with cooking spray, then dust it with half of the cornstarch mixture. Set the pan and the rest of the mixture aside.
• Combine the honey, 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar and 1 3/4 cups water in a large saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer and stir to combine. Place over medium-high heat and cook until the mixture reaches 305 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, position a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment near the stove. Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl of the mixer.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Reduce the speed to medium and beat in the remaining tablespoon granulated sugar. (Do this while keeping an eye on the honey so you don't burn it.)
• As soon as the honey reaches 305 degrees F, turn the mixer speed to medium-low and add it to the egg whites in a steady drizzle. Then turn the mixer to high and beat until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and spray a rubber spatula with cooking spray. Add the nuts to the mixture and fold with the sprayed spatula to combine. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Press it into an even layer, then sprinkle on the remaining cornstarch mixture and let cool, a few hours. Use the parchment wings to remove the nougat to a board. Cut the nougat into 1-inch squares.
• Set up a sheet pan with a rack and set aside.
• Heat the semisweet chocolate with 1/2 tablespoon oil in a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted, 1 1/2 minutes total. Repeat with the ruby chips and remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil. Brushing off the excess powdered sugar from the top of each, dip half of the squares in the regular chocolate and half in the ruby chocolate, spooning some over the tops so that they are completely covered. Use a fork to remove the squares from the chocolate and place on the prepared rack. Sprinkle with sprinkles, if using. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 10 minutes, or let set at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

FLUFFY VANILLA NOUGAT

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
• Use a clean, dry stand mixer to whip the egg whites to stiff peaks with 2 tablespoons of the sugar. In the mean time, in a small saucepan, over medium heat, bring the honey to 250F on a candy thermometer. Also, at the same time, in a medium saucepan, combine the remaining 2 3/4 cups sugar, water, and corn syrup (if using). Over medium heat, bring this mixture to 300F on a candy thermometer. Carefully and gently swirl the mixtures in their pans now and then, use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush any sugar from the sides of the pan. You want the honey to hit its temp first, followed by the sugar shortly thereafter.
• With the mixer running, slowly pour the 250F honey down the side of the bowl into the egg whites. Let the mixer keep running, and as soon as your sugar mixture hits 300F, slowly pour the sugar mixture into the bowl as well, using the same technique (down the side of the bowl). Continue mixing for five minutes or so, until the temperature of the nougat is no longer hot. At this point, stir in the vanilla bean seeds and extract. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and fold in the nuts and seeds by hand.
• Transfer the nougat onto the parchment-line baking sheet, cover with another sheet of parchment and allow to cool completely. Cut into desired shapes (the cleaner you can keep your knife the cleaner your cuts will be), and wrap in squares of parchment paper, or candy wrappers. Store in an air-tight container.