Montélimar Nougat with Freeze dried Sour Cherries and Dragon Fruit
#freezedriedinspiration
Ingredients
420 g granulated sugar
290 g honey
125 g water
120 g cocoa butter, melted
85 g chicory syrup
60 g egg whites
150 g freeze-dried sour cherry slices
40 g freeze-dried sour cherry pieces
30 g freeze-dried dragon fruit powder
1 tbsp icing sugar
1 tbsp cornflour
Instructions
Line a baking tin or frame with baking paper and dust lightly with a mixture of cornflour and icing sugar to prevent the nougat from sticking.
In a saucepan, combine the water, 400 g of the granulated sugar, and the chicory syrup. Stir over low heat until the sugar has fully dissolved. Insert a thermometer and cook the syrup to 142–145 °C.
In a separate saucepan, heat the honey to 118–120 °C.
Begin whisking the egg whites, gradually adding the remaining 20 g of granulated sugar.
With the mixer running, slowly pour the hot honey into the whipped egg whites.
Then add the hot sugar syrup in a thin, steady stream. Continue whisking until the mixture becomes very thick, glossy, and elastic, about 4–6 minutes.
Gently mix in the melted cocoa butter, ideally at 40–45 °C.
On low speed, fold in the freeze-dried dragon fruit powder and the freeze-dried sour cherry pieces.
Quickly spread the mixture into the prepared tin to a thickness of 2–3 cm.
Leave to set in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
Cut into cubes or bars using a knife lightly dusted with cornflour.