Nougat
editIn the current era, no matter what anyone picks up to review via social media, it seems to be ready to become a trend at any time, especially in the food category. If it is guaranteed to be delicious, at least you must go buy some to try. But recently, if anyone frequently scrolls through TikTok or YouTube, you will see both reviewers and bloggers presenting a dessert called "Nougat" or French-style taffy, a popular souvenir from "Taiwan". In addition to being popular, Nougat has also spread to the point of giving out easy-to-follow recipes.
With its inviting appearance, sweet and fragrant taste, and just the right soft texture, and the presence of nuts for you to chew, nougat is a popular menu item that we often eat with coffee or hot drinks, or even on its own for a delicious snack when you're feeling lonely. So it's no surprise that many people love nougat. But did you know that this sweet flavor is actually centuries old and has been passed on to many countries, which has led to the creation of many unique nougats in the world?
An extraordinary sweet journey.
People in general may know nougat as “Taiwanese taffy” as it is a famous souvenir at the moment. But most of the time, this type of dessert can also be called French-style taffy. Before the dessert recipe was influenced by France, the true origin came from the Middle East, dating back to around the 10th century. According to the records of ancient cookbooks around Baghdad, Iraq in the present day, “nougat” at that time was called “Natif” (ناطف), a dessert made from egg whites, sugar, honey, various nuts, and various dried fruits. When roasted and stirred until dry, nougat will be sticky and slightly hard, similar to taffy, before being cut into small bars or pieces that are easy to grab and bite-sized.
Although many people see nougat as a snack for special occasions, there is a hypothesis that nougat may have been invented to be eaten during wartime, as it is a high-energy snack that can be stored for a long time. Another hypothesis says that nougat was created during times of hardship and famine. A Catalan man named “Turró” invented this snack by using natural ingredients that were abundant at that time and developed it into nougat.
So how did nougat spread its sweetness? We have to go back to the time when transportation was mainly by ship, even for trade. So, the Phoenicians, the great masters of Mediterranean trade, initiated the spread of nougat recipes to Turkey, and then to the Atlantic coast of European countries such as Greece, Germany, Italy, Spain, and France. In France, it was very popular. Émile François Loubet, the Prime Minister who became President of France in 1899, promoted nougat to French royals and foreign presidents visiting the Élysée Palace. With this success, nougat’s reputation in France became international before it became popular throughout Europe and spread to many countries around the world.
Nougat is delicious with anything when it comes in many forms
. The nougat that everyone is familiar with is usually the original type, which is white in color, made from egg whites, sugar or honey, and has nuts and fruits as ingredients. But in addition, there are other types of nougat as well, such as "brown nougat", which is made from caramel instead of egg whites, giving it a harder, crispier and darker texture. Another type is "Vienna nougat", which is different from other types because it is made from egg whites, sugar, hazelnuts or pralines, and cocoa, giving it a soft chocolate texture. In addition, nougat is also adapted to be used as a filling in candy bars such as chocolate bars, especially the American candy industry, which often uses marshmallow as the main ingredient in making nougat because it sets easily and marshmallow is made from sugar and gelatin, which are natural proteins. You can see this from familiar candy brands such as SNICKERS, 3 Musketeers, and Milky Way, while some places also use nougat as a topping for ice cream or to make many other candies and desserts.
Every place has its own nougat.
As you know, nougat is endlessly popular. Therefore, the differences in the ingredients used to make the dessert began. Many countries in Europe have adjusted the recipe to suit their own tastes. Therefore, nougat has different shapes, ingredients, flavors and names. If divided by popularity of consumption, this dessert can be divided into 12 types. Therefore, let's briefly present the information of the top nougat of each country.
• Spain Spanish nougat, also known as “Turrón”, is at least 500 years old and originated in the 15th century. There are two main variations: “Turrón de Alicante”, made with egg whites, honey or sugar and toasted almonds, is white in color and has a crisp texture. “Turrón Jijona” is a golden pastry with a smooth, thick texture similar to peanut butter.
• France Nougat in France is considered to have the greatest influence to this day, called “Montélimar”, which originated in the middle of the 16th century in the southern city of Marseille. The original recipe of nougat consisted of sugar, honey, egg white, vanilla and walnuts. It was not until 1650 that almond trees were introduced, that nougat also included almonds. There are two main types of Montélimar: “Nougat de Montélimar”, which is creamy white in color and has a soft texture, and “Nougatine”, which is darker in color and has a crisper texture.
• Italy Nougat in Italy, also known as “Torrone”, was invented at the same time as Spain. The main ingredients are similar, but with a smaller proportion of nuts. It also has vanilla or orange flavors. The first torrone was shaped into the bell tower of Cremona Cathedral, called “Torrazzo” or “Torrione”, for use in the weddings of the upper class in Lombardy. In addition, there is an annual sweet festival in Cremona, called The Festival of Torrone Cremona, which is held every third week of November to celebrate the candy and similar sweets. There are many stalls at the event for people to choose and shop for sweets to their hearts’ content.
Asia's Nougat King...Top souvenir from Taiwan
Finally, nougat has come to Asia, like Taiwan. In the past few years, many social media platforms have been talking about the top souvenir snack, Taiwanese nougat, which is said to be very delicious. Although there is no clear information about the arrival of nougat in Asia, it turns out that the producers have adjusted the recipe to be delicious in their own way, using milk powder as the main ingredient, mixed with sugar, cream, protein, nuts, dried fruits, and flower petals. These ingredients have finally become the important identity of Taiwanese nougat.
Taiwan's famous nougat shop, Sugar & Spice, is a top souvenir shop with 26 branches nationwide. It offers both original flavors and other flavors such as coffee, strawberry, and matcha, to provide more options for the younger generation who want to try nougat with a different flavor.
Nowadays, nougat can be made homemade because there are many teachers on YouTube or TikTok who are diligent in developing and sharing recipes with dessert lovers. In addition, the ingredients for making nougat are not difficult to find. Just use marshmallow as the main ingredient. In addition, you can also create new flavors by adding various grains as you like. It is suitable for making it yourself or for sale. It is another interesting option.
Finally, nougat may not only be in the context of sweet desserts that give sweet pleasure to eat. But in terms of history, nougat has also traveled and shown the power of culture that has been passed on to spread everywhere and always leads to growth. And it seems that nougat will continue to travel to deliver sweetness to give better experiences to sweet lovers endlessly...
Source: Article “Review of Taiwanese nougat and taffy, which brand is delicious in 2023” by Jane Chananticha from bestreview.asia
Article “Inviting beginners to make 'nougat', Taiwanese taffy, a very popular souvenir” by Nawara Plianboonlert from krua.co
Article “What Is Nougat and What Is It Made Of?” by Corey Williams from allrecipes.com
Article “Nougat” from wikipedia.org
Article “Nougat of Montélimar” from wikipedia.org
Article “Nougat: history and curiosities of the oldest Christmas dessert” from bottegadicalabria.com
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Article “When did we started to eat nougat on Christmas?” from thespanishhamonline.com
Article “Sugar & Spice French Nougat (Taiwan Hotel & Home Delivery/Airport Pick Up)” from klook.com
Article “Nougat” from tasteatlas.com
Article “All You Need to Know About Nougat: What It Is, How to Select It, Culinary Uses, and More” from markys.com
Clip “What is nougat and why is it on every candy bar?” by Adam Ragusea from YouTube[1]
Story: Kanchani Sukhamano