Macadamia and Cranberry Nougat

Every month we’re posting a mouth-watering recipe courtesy of Food & Home Entertaining magazine. The recipe we have chosen from the December issue is macadamia and cranberry nougat. This easy recipe makes 15 and only takes 40 mins – plus extra for setting.

Ingredients:

450g (2¼ cups) sugar
250ml (1 cup) liquid glucose
80ml (â…“ cup) honey
1 sheet rice paper
2 extra-large egg whites
pinch of cream of tartar
250g macadamia nuts, roasted
60g dried cranberries
cornflour, to serve

Method:

1. Place the sugar, glucose and honey in a saucepan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Do not allow to boil, brush the sides of the pan with extra water so that the sugar crystals do not cling to side of the pan.
2. When the sugar has completely dissolved, place a sugar thermometer into the syrup and bring to a rapid boil until 140ËšC is reached on a sugar thermometer.
3. Line the base of an 18 x 28cm rectangular cake tin with rice paper.
4. Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until soft peaks form. Add the sugar mixture in a steady stream until it is incorporated and continue beating for about 5 minutes until the mixture is slightly cooled and thickened. Add the macadamia nuts and cranberries, whisking them in by hand.
5. Pour the mixture onto the rice paper and press gently with a spoon to flatten. Cover with another piece of rice paper and allow to set for a few hours before cutting.
6. Cut into desired shapes, using a very sharp knife. Dip each piece of nougat in cornflour to give it a very light coating before wrapping in parchment paper or cellophane wrapping.

Recipe by Lianne Scher, styling by Anna Montali and photograph by Graeme Borchers; extract from Yule love it published in the Food & Home Entertaining December 2009 issue.

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