Nougat glacé with walnut and pistachio praline

Ingredients

• ½ cup whole walnuts
• 1½ cups caster sugar
• ½ cup shelled pistachios (very green)
• 6 egg whites
• 450 ml thickened cream
• ¼ cup dried cranberries, reserve some for garnish
• ¼ cup dried apricots, roughly chopped, reserve some for garnish

Resting time: 30 minutes

Freezing time: 8 hours

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan-forced. Spread the walnuts on a baking tray lined with baking paper and toast for 8-10 minutes. Heat ½ cup caster sugar in a medium saucepan to a rich amber caramel. Agitate the pan to melt the sugar, do not stir to avoid crystallisation. Stir in the toasted walnuts and pistachios, then pour on to a cold baking tray lined with baking paper and set aside. When cooled and brittle, chop into small pieces. Reserve a little of the praline for garnish.
2. Place the egg whites and the remaining sugar in a heatproof bowl and stir with a whisk over a bain-marie until the sugar is dissolved. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip to a glossy meringue, about 5-6 mins. Transfer the meringue to a medium bowl, then use the stand mixer (you don't need to wash the bowl) to whip the cream to stiff peaks.
3. Fold the meringue and remaining ingredients into the cream (reserving a little of each for garnish), then transfer to a loaf tin lined with cling film. Freeze for at least 8 hours, then turn out, slice and serve. Garnish with the reserved praline, cranberries and apricots.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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