NOUGAT

Nougat (US: NOO-gət, UK: NOO-gah;) is a family of confections made with sugar or honey, roasted nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, and macadamia nuts are common), whipped egg whites, and sometimes chopped candied fruit. The consistency of nougat is chewy, and it is used in a variety of candy bars and chocolates. The word nougat comes from Occitan nogat (pronounced [nuˈɣat, nuˈga]), which means 'nutted' or 'nutty'. Two basic kinds of nougat exist. White nougat (also known as Persian nougat) is made with beaten egg whites and honey; it appeared in the early 7th century in Spain with Arabs. In Alicante, Spain there are several published recipes in the 16th century, for instance "La Generosa Paliza" by Lope de Rueda and other novels written by Cervantes and in Montélimar, France, in the 18th century (Nougat of Montélimar). Brown nougat is made without egg whites and has a firmer, often crunchy texture.