Cherry Nougat Bites Recipes

PISTACHIO-CHERRY NOUGAT BITES

Steps:

• Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, letting foil extend over edges of pan by 2 inches. Spray with nonstick cooking spray, and set aside. In a large saucepan, combine sugar, honey, and 3⁄4 cup water. Cook over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 260°. While sugar mixture cooks, in a large bowl, beat egg whites and reserved vanilla bean seeds at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. When sugar mixture reaches 260°, remove from heat. With mixer on low speed, carefully and gradually add sugar mixture to egg whites. Add extracts. Increase speed to medium-high; beat 12 minutes. Add pistachios and cherries. Beat 3 minutes. Spread mixture into prepared pan. Top with almonds, pressing gently. Let stand 8 hours. Lifting edges of foil, remove mixture from pan. Cut into 2-inch squares. Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.

DRIED CHERRY NOUGAT GLACE

Steps:

• To make the praline, combine the sugar and water in a sauce pan and cook mixture, stirring and washing down any sugar crystals with a brush dipped in water, until mixture is clear. Let it cook, undisturbed, until deep golden.
• To caramelized sugar add the hazelnuts. Stir to coat.
• Oil a marble slab. Pour the mixture onto the marble, smooth it into even layer and let it cool completely. Once cooled, chop into approximately 1/4- inch pieces.
• To make the Italian meringue, combine in a pan the sugar, lavender honey, and the water. Cook it following same procedure as for praline, until a candy thermometer registers hard ball stage 248 degrees.
• Beat 3 egg whites to soft peaks. With machine running add, in a stream, the cooked sugar syrup. Beat until completely cool.
• Macerate 1 1/2 cups dried cherries in 1/4 cup kirsch for 30 minutes. Then drain over a bowl Whip 2 cups heavy cream.
• Fold half the praline, half the drained cherries and half the whipped cream into the meringue. Then do it again. Transfer to an 8 cup terrine, lined with plastic wrap. Cover mold with plastic wrap and freeze overnight. Unmold, remove the plastic wrap, and slice.

CHERRY NOUGAT BITES

Steps:

• Combine condensed milk, vanilla essence and sugar in a mixing bowl.
• Stir in powdered milk and cherries with a wooden spoon until combined.
• Turn mixture onto surface lightly dusted with icing sugar.
• Knead until smooth.
• Divide mixture in half.
• Roll each half between your palms into a rope 2.
• 5cm thick.
• Dust with extra icing sugar.
• Refrigerate until firm.
• When firm cut into 2.
• 5cm pieces.
• Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.