How to know if a nougat is quality

When you are in front of a shelf full of nougat of all kinds, doubts begin to creep in. Obviously, an artisan nougat will always be of a much higher quality than an industrial one, since, in industrial processes, the quality of these ingredients is lower in order to reduce costs.

In industrial nougats, the aim is to obtain a higher economic yield, therefore, lower quality ingredients are used, less quantity of nuts, glucose syrup instead of sugar and thickeners such as refined flours, to give more consistency. In other varieties of nougat, such as flavored nougat, flavorings, emulsifiers and extra sugar are also added.

At Casa Mira we give you the keys to find out if a nougat is of good quality or not.

Beware of fake nougat

It should be clarified that when we talk about nougat we are talking about the classic versions, that is, hard nougat and soft nougat.

Therefore, the definition of nougat refers to “a mass obtained by cooking honey and sugar, with or without egg white, with the incorporation and kneading of toasted almonds, peeled or with skin. Honey may be substituted, totally or partially, by sugars in their different kinds and derivatives”.

So, according to this definition, it is complicated to find out if we are buying a good quality nougat, or if it is a “derivative”, since many of the nougats that are usually sold in supermarkets are not really nougat.

To find out if a nougat is of good quality, several important factors must be taken into account.

Keys to find out if a nougat is of good quality

1.- Amount of almonds

Only with the above definition of nougat, we can know neither the type nor the amount of almonds that is necessary for a nougat to be considered of quality. That is why in Jijona some minimum measures were stipulated for some of its ingredients.

According to these percentages we can select the nougat in several categories:

Supreme category: It contains more than 60% almonds. Although the best nougats usually contain 75% almonds.
Extra category: Carries between 50% and 60% almonds.
Standard quality: It contains between 40% and 50% almonds.
Popular quality: It contains between 30% and 40% almonds.
It is not considered nougat: If it has less than 30% of almonds.

2.- Origin of the almond

Our country is one of the first producers of almonds in the world, offering a great number of varieties. But, the Marcona almond variety, from the Alicante region, is one of the highest quality almonds in the world and has an excellent flavor. This type of almond is the one used to make quality nougat.

Honey and sugar

Originally, nougat was only made with honey, not sugar. Sugar was introduced later to reduce costs and improve the handling of the product. Nowadays, most nougats contain some sugar.

The proportion between sugar and honey will also mark the quality of the nougat. The honey helps to compact the almond, but make it soft in the mouth, while the sugar changes the flavor and texture of the nougat.

At a minimum, a good nougat should contain 10% pure bee honey, although the best nougats contain up to 20%.

At Casa Mira we use quality almonds of the Marcona variety, and rosemary honey, which gives a different touch to our nougats; without any other artificial additives.

4.- Form of elaboration

Obviously, the way a nougat is made will influence its quality, as well as its flavor and nutritional value. An artisan nougat pampers the ingredients and allows itself licenses that industrial nougats cannot afford.

Artisan nougat, in addition to an increase in flavor, has healthier nutritional properties, since it contains less sugar and unsaturated fats, avoiding trans fats and palm oil.

At Casa Mira we take the utmost care of the ingredients and the way we elaborate our artisan nougat. That is why we still keep the same recipe since the 19th century, and the same elaboration process of that time. Our nougats do not contain preservatives, invert sugars or flavor enhancers, unlike many nougat substitutes that are sold on an industrial level.

If you want to know more about the difference between artisan and industrial nougat, here is a post that will interest you.

In Casa Mira you can find one of the best turrones in Madrid. You can buy it in our store in the center of Madrid, or visit our online store and have it delivered to your home.