HAZELNUT & CHOCOLATE SWIRL NOUGAT

SERVES 10-14

INGREDIENTS

450g roasted hazelnuts

4 sheets confectioner’s rice paper/wafer paper

(not to be confused with rice paper wrappers; from specialty food stores and baking stores)

570g caster sugar

345g mild-flavoured honey

180g liquid glucose/glucose syrup (from specialty food stores, baking stores and some supermarkets) 100ml water

3 egg whites

120g dark chocolate (50-72 percent cocoa), melted

1 (NB: You’ll need a sugar thermometer for this recipe.) Preheat oven to 100°C. Place hazelnuts on an oven tray and warm in the oven.

2 Line a shallow 20cm x 30cm tin with plastic wrap then line base with rice paper. 3 Combine sugar, honey, glucose and water in a pan over medium heat and stir to dissolve sugar, then increase heat to medium-high. When mixture reaches 120°C on a sugar thermometer (6-10 minutes), start whisking egg whites in an electric mixer on medium speed. Continue cooking sugar mixture until it reaches 135°C. The egg white should be firm; if not, increase speed. When firm peaks form, pour sugar syrup into egg white in a thin stream, whisking continuously. Continue whisking until smooth, glossy and puffed (4 minutes).

4 Fold nuts through mixture and swirl in melted chocolate until marbled (do not overmix). Transfer to tin, smooth with wet knife and top with rice paper. Leave on bench to cool completely (3-4 hours). Turn out and cut into squares with a serrated knife to serve. The nougat will keep in an airtight container for 3 days.

TIP Allowing this nougat to dry for a few days will give it a delicious lightness.