Honey Nougat Glacé Recipe: Frozen Nougat, No Churn

Honey nougat glacé is made without an ice-cream maker: honey cooked to 118-120 °C is poured onto whisked egg whites to make an Italian meringue, then whipped cream and a nougatine of caramelised nuts are folded in. Everything sets in the freezer for at least 6 hours in a loaf tin. It is served in slices, on its own or with a raspberry and honey coulis.

Method

Toast the nuts Preheat the oven to 160 °C. Spread the almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios on a baking tray and toast them for 8 to 10 minutes, until fragrant. Keep them warm.
Make the nougatine In a heavy-based frying pan, melt the sugar on its own over a medium heat, without stirring, until it becomes a light amber caramel. Add the warm nuts, coat them quickly, then spread them on a sheet of baking paper. Leave to cool for 15 minutes, then chop roughly with a knife.
Prepare the tin and the cream Line the loaf tin with cling film, leaving plenty overhanging. Whip the well-chilled cream to firm peaks, without letting it turn to butter, and keep it in the fridge.
Cook the honey Pour 150 g of honey into a small heavy-based saucepan and heat it over a medium heat, with the thermometer in the honey. It foams as it heats: tilt the pan slightly if needed so the probe stays submerged.
Make the honey meringue When the honey reaches 110 °C, start whisking the egg whites with the pinch of salt at medium speed. At 118-120 °C, pour the honey in a thin stream down the side of the bowl, with the mixer running at high speed. Keep whisking for 8 to 10 minutes, until the meringue is firm, glossy and has cooled to lukewarm.
Assemble the mixture Gently fold the whipped cream into the meringue in two or three additions with a spatula. Add the nougatine, keeping back a handful for decoration, and the candied fruit.
Fill the tin and freeze Pour the mixture into the tin, tap it to knock out any air bubbles and smooth the surface. Fold the cling film over and freeze for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
Make the coulis Blend the raspberries with 30 g of honey and the lemon juice, then push the coulis through a fine sieve to remove the seeds. Keep it in the fridge.
Turn out and serve Take the nougat glacé out of the freezer 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Turn it out using the cling film, cut slices with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry, scatter over the reserved nougatine and serve with the coulis.

Which honey should you choose?

Lavender honey (€15 for a 300 g jar) is the truest to the taste of nougat: floral, mild and pale, it keeps the cream nice and white. Garrigue honey (€13), a more aromatic multifloral honey from the wild Mediterranean scrubland, gives a more fragrant nougat glacé that goes beautifully with raspberries. The recipe uses 180 g of honey in all, coulis included: a single 300 g jar is enough. To have both to hand, the Lavender and Garrigue Duo (€26) brings them together.

Tips and variations

The honey Italian meringue gives the mixture volume and body, and the sugar in the honey stops it from freezing into a solid block of ice: the nougat glacé stays soft straight from the freezer, with no ice-cream maker.
The nougatine is made with sugar rather than honey: a sugar caramel stays crunchy in the freezer, whereas a honey caramel, which holds on to more moisture, tends to soften.
You can replace the nougatine with crushed pieces of Provençal black nougat, or the candied fruit with dried apricots or candied orange peel.
The hot honey sears the egg whites but does not guarantee that they are pasteurised: for pregnant women, young children, older or vulnerable people, use pasteurised egg whites, sold in cartons. Like any dessert containing honey, nougat glacé is not suitable for children under one year old.
Nougat glacé is not one of the 13 desserts of Provence, but it borrows their flavours, honey, almonds and candied fruit, and makes a lovely end to a festive meal.

Storage

Nougat glacé keeps for up to two weeks in the freezer, tightly wrapped and away from strong smells; after that, the nougatine gradually loses its crunch. Make it the day before or two days before a festive meal. The coulis keeps for two days in the fridge.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need an ice-cream maker to make nougat glacé?

No. The Italian meringue and whipped cream bring in enough air for the mixture to stay soft simply by setting in the freezer, in a loaf tin. There is no need to stir it while it freezes.

Can you cook the honey without a thermometer?

You can, but it is less precise. The honey is ready when a drop placed in cold water forms a small, soft ball, which corresponds to about 118-120 °C. Undercooked, it makes a soft meringue; overcooked, it takes on a caramel taste and hardens.

Are the egg whites cooked in nougat glacé?

They are seared by the hot honey, but not cooked through enough to be pasteurised. For pregnant women, young children and vulnerable people, choose pasteurised egg whites.