Italian Cuisine

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Soft nougat (torrone morbido)

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Cuisine: Italian Prep time: 45 min(s) Cooking time: 25 min(s) Servings: Makes approximately 1.5 kg nougat Created by Marianna Di Bartoli

Set perfectly, with almonds, pistachios, cherries and a layer of white chocolate, you will never look at another nougat recipe again!

For tasty variations on nougat, try Suzanne Gibbs' nougat recipe or French chef Gabriel Gaté's nougat recipe. Also, browse our dessert recipes for more sweet inspiration.

Ingredients

400 g raw almonds
confectionery rice paper
500 g sugar
50 g liquid glucose
100 ml water
450 g orange-blossom honey
3 egg whites
100 g pistachios
60 g marasche cherries (Italian cherries in syrup), or glacé cherries if unavailable
100 g white chocolate

Note: You will need a sugar thermometer for this recipe.

Preparation

Lightly roast the almonds in a moderate oven. Butter the sides of a lamington tray (approximately 20 × 30 cm) and line the base with rice paper.

Put the sugar, glucose and water in a saucepan and cook until it reaches 150°C on a sugar thermometer. At the same time, put the honey in a separate saucepan and cook until it reaches 120°C.

Meanwhile, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. When the sugar and honey reach temperature, gradually pour the hot honey into the egg whites with the beaters running. Then, gradually pour in the sugar syrup. Keep beating for another 5 minutes (the mixture will begin to firm up), then fold in the almonds, pistachios and cherries.

Pour into the tray and spread to the corners (the mixture will be quite stiff by this stage). To smooth the top, cover with a sheet of baking paper and roll with a rolling pin.

Place another rectangular tray on top and weight down with a heavy object, such as a bag of sugar or flour. Leave overnight.

The next day, melt the chocolate and, after removing the baking paper, spread the chocolate over the top of the nougat. Cover with another sheet of baking paper and smooth the surface of the chocolate with your fingers. Remove the baking paper and leave until the chocolate hardens. Cut the nougat into bars.

SBS cook’s notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55–60 g, unless specified.

Italian Restaurants

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Displaying 10 of 2166 Italian Restaurants.

Restaurant Suburb
1. The Beresford Hotel Surry Hills
2. Cellar 47 Shepparton
3. Valentino's Northbridge
4. Smithfield Tavern Smithfield
5. Benny's Bar & Cafe Fremantle
6. Universal Bar Northbridge
7. Arch Rival Palmerston
8. Railway Hotel Fitzroy North
9. Vibe Cafe Restaurant St Kilda
10. Morning Star Estate Mt Eliza
   
03 May 2013 05:34 AEST
katherine
canberra
this recipe produces mush
There is definitely something missing from this recipe. It came out like MUSH. I've read a lot of others who have had the same issue. I use a thermometer and followed the recipe to the letter. The only thing I can think of is the honey? Maybe? The honey I used is a local one, not the crystalline one as shown, but perhaps not. I dont know. All I know is that it turned out very badly and I am VERY disappointed. My mixture was beautiful and stiff just as shown in the Video. Maeve? Any suggestions?
06 Apr 2013 03:29 AEST
Babin
UPANDDOWN
Nougat
I've tried the nougat recipe but didn't use the thermometer to read temp. The nougat was gooey. It didn't become solid. I want to know what went wrong.
02 Apr 2013 02:00 AEST
Julia Rose
Northfield, Massachusetts
Nougat Floppit
I followed the recipe and the instructions to the letter. I even watched the video several times. This was not my first time making candy or working with egg whites. I scraped my thick stiff nougat out of the bowl and into the pans to set up overnight. It didn't set up. It was very difficult to unmold. I was barely able to cut it and by the time my dinner guests were ready for some samples after dinner, they were picking up gooey marshmallow that had all melted and stuck to eachother. Sad.
14 Nov 2012 09:56 AEST
Dan
Balwyn
Dan
Hey guys tryed to make this recipe and I did notice it was soft too. I recently bought the Italian food safari book and there is an error in this recipe it should be 500g of sugar instead of 250g. However it will still not be rock sold as this is called torrone morbidio witch means soft nougat.
07 Nov 2012 10:25 AEST
Tracey
Narellan
Nougat
I have made this recipe a few times, I usually double the recipe, because so many in the family like it, so I make more to share. I have always gone a bit father with the sugar temperature and boil the honey syrup a little longer, but you must have a close eye on this so it doesn't burn. You must use hot nuts, so have all your preparation well in hand.I whip as long as I can, mine turns out hard straight away not sticky ever!
07 Oct 2012 04:06 AEST
Daniel
Balwyn
Glucose
liquid glucose can be found at any local supermarket its quite common actually i got a tub at my local coles
20 May 2012 03:25 AEST
Peter
NA
Conspiracy?
There are no cherries in the printed recipe so it is clearly NOT what is shown. Neither are the almonds warmed... Why do people seem to mislead (deliberately?) others who just want to know how to make nougat at home? Surely to G it isn't asking too much that someone actuaklly tell the truth one day. I have been trying to make nougat (as I want it to be - firm and chewy, not soft and mushy) and have got slightly nearer in over 10 attempts. Com eon... tell us straight.
11 Jan 2012 10:02 AEST
Arty B
Carnegie Vic
The recipe quantities given here are correct - 250g sugar (any more and the mix will neither fit in the mixer nor the tin). A lamington tin is usually around 20cm x 30cm (a slice tin is slightly smaller - around 18cm x 28 cm). I left the nougat to set as instructed (but in the fridge). After leaving it overnight, I can slice it, it is still soft like room temperature butter (and very sticky!). I will keep trying as the taste is great...
28 May 2011 12:03 AEST
Sara rose
i cant wait to make this recipe but i do not know where to get liquid gluecose,,,any help pleaseeeee
22 Feb 2011 01:30 AEST
Leeshivic
St Kilda East
Quanities!!!
I made this recipe yesterday, to the exact method, and it was very soft and gooey the next day. The above recipe calls for 250g of sugar, which is what l used. This morning l went to a book store, and the Italian Food Safari cook book recipe states, 500g of sugar! So which is it? I will try try the recipe again using 500g and hope for a better result!!!
25 Nov 2010 12:06 AEST
Raymond Andersen
Brisbane
bad
Temps 100%. Water test good. Hygrometer showed 50% a little high but it will work. The mixture was whipped and beaten first with the whisk and then the paddle. It was stiff until the nuts and raisons were folded in then it became very hard. I hired a bobcat to pull it out the bowl, place it on the tray and used a steam roller to flatten it thats how beautiful it was. Alas the next day soft like butter, sticky and useless. No more.
21 Nov 2010 06:19 AEST
Raymond Andersen
Brisbane
good
My first attempt was a failure because I relied too much on my electronic thermometer which decided to give up the ghost. Second time using the more reliable way of water testing I got pretty much like yours but still too soft and sticky. I have an idea its the length of time it is beaten. Do you think i should beat a little longer or perhaps increase the temp. The quantities in the video are they the same as the recipe'
23 Jun 2010 07:03 AEST
Lydia
Halfway Bush
Size of tin
Hey, this recipe looks spectacular. i've tried many before, some of which have turned out with a crumbly texture, a little strange i'll admit. I just wondered what the size of the tin which you used in your recipe was, I want it to turn out as close to yours as is possible!
30 May 2010 06:21 AEST
Vicki
I'm very keen to hear if anyone successfully makes this recipe. It has much less glucose than the other recipe (frank Camora's) and I was wondering if there was a typo. This show is great!
30 May 2010 03:00 AEST
Kay
Malvern SA
Exhausted after tackling this!
I've just made a half batch with almond and dried cherries and I think it's going to be rather hard! It was tricky timing the 2 syrup batches but I made it in the end. The nougat is sitting in its dish being flattened (a bit) by the cans on top and I can't wait to try it! Great instructional video!
26 May 2010 03:26 AEST
Ros Barbie
I will definitely have to change my method of making nougat after watching your segment. Beats my method which requires over an hour of stirring. Great show.
24 May 2010 12:15 AEST
David
I purchased two logs of soft nougat from Dolcetti on Saturday and they didn't live to see Sunday! My favourite flavour was the pistachio and the kids absolutely adored the raspberry flavoured nougat!
22 May 2010 02:17 AEST
Jenny
Thanks for the address. I popped into Dolcetti this morning after my weekly market shop, it was amazing! we were served tea in the most beautiful little cups. While there we saw all the delicious patries lined up in the cabinet and just couldnt resist! I had the cherry cheesecake and my husband tried the cannoli- the best we have ever tasted. Of course we had to take some of the 'legendary' nougat home to try, and some gorgeous little italian biscuits too- cant wait till the next market shop!
21 May 2010 01:36 AEST
IVANA DI TOMMASO
PROSPECT VALE
LOVE IT
Have wanted to make nougat for ages and after watching the show, I can't wait to try it!! Am enjoying Italian Food Safari very much and can relate to it very well. Makes me feel very proud of my Italian heritage - it has also made me cry when I watched the episode about the porchetta and making salami/sausages - reminded me of my dad (who has passed away).
21 May 2010 12:23 AEST
Marianne Cannatelli
Every Italian Food Safari is the best, what can i say most of the recipes bring back a lot of childhood memories and still to this day my Mother makes most of the foods your show has. Keep them coming cant get enough of them.
20 May 2010 10:45 AEST
Liz
Brunswick
Nougat from Dolcetti
This is definitely the best nougat I've ever tasted - the shop is Dolcetti at 223 Victoria St West Melbourne (in the block above the Vic Market). Enjoy!
20 May 2010 10:06 AEST
Rochelle
The girl that made the almond nougat on tonights shoe had a store in Melbourne. Did anyone catch the name of the shop?
20 May 2010 09:12 AEST
Rosemary D'Angelo
Templestowe
location5
Could you please advise your address
20 May 2010 08:38 AEST
Peter Ager
Blairgowrie
Soft Nougat recipe
Bellisimo
   

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