Cranberry, Yka Leaves, Pistachio, Ginger and Almond Nougat

Ingredients (14cm frame)

Ingredients for the nougat

• 5g dried egg whites
• 50g fresh egg whites
• 15g caster sugar
• 120g honey
• 190g granulated sugar
• 55g glucose
• 50g water
• 10g cocoa butter – melted and cooled
• 275g nuts and dried fruit – shelled pistachios, flaked almonds, cranberries
• 25g very finely chopped crystallised ginger
• 2g sea salt flakes
• 1 tsp dried Yka Leaves powder (see ingredients for decoration)
• Rice paper sheet – 2 pieces cut to suit square frame size

Ingredients for the decoration

• Powdered freeze dried cranberry
• Dried Yka leaves powder – made from 4 pkts Yka leaves
• Simple syrup for brushing

Method

Method for the nougat

• Place a silicone mat on a flat baking sheet, on top if this lay a 14cm square piece of rice paper, place the 14cm metal frame on to this. Have another 14cm square of rice paper handy. Oil the insides of the frame sides.
• Place egg powder, fresh egg whites, the 15g sugar in a mixer bowl fitted with a whisk.
• Combine lightly and set aside.
• Lightly roast the shelled pistachios and flaked almonds with the sea salt at 140C for 10 minutes.
• Place these nuts with the cranberries and ginger into a metal bowl in the oven at 100C to keep warm.
• Place the honey in a pan.
• Place the glucose, the 190g sugar and the water in another pan.
• Heat the honey, meanwhile start to whisk the egg white mix in the mixer on full speed.
• Boil honey to 120C and pour gradually over the whisking egg whites. Immediately put glucose and sugar mix on to boil while continually whisking honey/egg white mix.
• Once the sugars mix reaches 156C, pour gradually but quickly over the egg whites/honey mix, and keep whisking on high speed for 1-2 minutes until thick and fluffy (it should be still malleable). Remove the whisk from the machine.
• Pour the warm inclusions and cocoa butter into the nougat, then the dried Yka leaves powder, and stir in with a spatula
• Spoon the mix in to the frame, spread to flatten and use the square of rice paper and the base of a square tin just smaller than the frame to press the nougat so it is flat and even.
• Leave to cool overnight in a dry place (chocolate fridge at 15-16C if available or cool room temp).
• Demould using a heated sharp knife.

Method for the decoration

• Cut the nougat in to squares with a serrated sharp knife using a sawing motion.
• Sieve the cranberry powder and Yka leaves powder on to a flat tray. Brush the rice paper top and bottom surfaces of each square with the simple syrup, and lay brushed side down on to the powders to coat. Tap off any excess powder.
• Serve, or store in an airtight container until required.

Chef: Shona Sutherland