Mixed Nut & Dried Fruit Nougat Roll
Yield: about 1.1–1.3 kg
Makes: 30–40 pieces
Prep: 30 minutes
Cooking: 25–35 minutes
Setting: 4–12 hours
Ingredients
Nougat base
2 large egg whites — about 65–70 g
300 g granulated white sugar
120 g mild honey
80 g glucose syrup or light corn syrup
50 g water
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice or finely grated lemon zest — optional
Nuts — 350 g total
For a mixture similar to the photograph:
120 g almonds, whole or roughly chopped
80 g pistachios
70 g cashews
50 g hazelnuts
30 g walnuts
You can change the proportions; the important thing is to keep the total around 350 g.
Dried fruit — 180–200 g
60 g dried cranberries
50 g dried apricots, finely diced
40 g candied orange peel
30–50 g raisins, cherries, or chopped dates
For shaping
Edible rice paper/wafer paper, preferably 2 sheets
A little neutral oil for the spatula/knife
Rice paper is traditionally useful because the sticky nougat can adhere strongly to the mold and the edible paper allows easier removal.
FULL METHOD
1. Prepare the nuts
Heat the oven to 325°F / 165°C.
Spread the almonds, pistachios, cashews and hazelnuts on a baking tray.
Roast for approximately:
Almonds: 10–12 minutes
Hazelnuts: 8–10 minutes
Pistachios/cashews: 6–8 minutes
You don’t need to roast each separately if you’re watching them carefully. The nuts should smell fragrant and lightly golden, not dark brown.
Important
Keep the roasted nuts warm while preparing the nougat.
Cold nuts can cause the nougat mixture to seize and become difficult to mix.
2. Prepare the dried fruit
Cut larger fruits such as apricots, dates and cherries into small pieces.
If your dried fruit feels sticky or moist, spread it on a tray and warm it in the oven for 5–7 minutes at about 200°F / 95°C.
The goal isn’t to cook it—just remove some surface moisture and warm it.
This matters because excess moisture can make homemade nougat softer and shorten its keeping quality.
3. Prepare the pan
Use approximately an 8 × 8-inch / 20 × 20 cm deep pan.
Line the bottom with rice paper.
If you don’t have rice paper:
use parchment paper very lightly brushed with oil, or
use edible wafer paper if available.
Have another sheet ready for the top.
Do not wait until the nougat is finished to prepare the pan. Once the mixture is ready, it becomes increasingly difficult to work with as it cools. Professional nougat recipes similarly emphasize working quickly while the mixture is hot.
4. Make the sugar-honey syrup
Put into a heavy saucepan:
300 g sugar
120 g honey
80 g glucose/corn syrup
50 g water
Heat over medium heat.
Stir only until the sugar dissolves.
Once it starts boiling, stop stirring.
Attach a candy thermometer.
Cook until the syrup reaches approximately:
300–302°F / 149–150°C
This temperature is extremely important.
Too low → nougat may remain soft and sticky.
Around 149–150°C → firm, chewy nougat.
Much higher → hard, dry nougat.
Be very careful: hot sugar syrup causes serious burns.
5. Whip the egg whites
While the syrup is cooking, place:
2 egg whites
¼ tsp salt
into a clean, completely grease-free mixing bowl.
Whip until you have soft peaks.
Don’t over-whip them until dry and stiff.
6. Combine syrup and egg whites
When the syrup reaches 149–150°C, reduce the mixer to medium speed.
Very slowly pour the hot syrup into the egg whites in a thin stream.
Do not pour it all in at once.
Keep mixing continuously.
Once all the syrup has been incorporated, increase to medium-high speed.
Continue beating for approximately 8–15 minutes, depending on your mixer.
The mixture should become:
thick
glossy
pale
stretchy
very sticky
Traditional nougat relies on this whipped egg-white/sugar-honey structure.
7. Add vanilla
Add:
1 tsp vanilla
lemon zest if using
Mix briefly.
Don’t beat for a long time after adding the flavorings.
8. Add the warm nuts and fruit
This is the important part for getting the appearance in your photograph.
Add the warm roasted nuts.
Then add the dried fruit.
Switch to a strong spatula or dough hook if your mixer can handle the thick mixture.
Mix just until everything is evenly distributed.
Do not overmix.
You want the final nougat to look like:
white nougat + lots of visible nuts + colorful pieces of dried fruit
rather than having the fruit completely crushed into the nougat.
A good nut-to-nougat ratio is what gives this style its very packed appearance. Traditional nougat commonly contains substantial amounts of almonds, pistachios and other nuts along with dried/candied fruit.
9. Transfer immediately
Immediately scrape the hot mixture into your prepared pan.
Because nougat becomes harder as it cools, work quickly.
Lightly oil a spatula or rolling pin.
Press and flatten the nougat firmly.
Put the second sheet of rice paper on top.
Press again until the surface is reasonably level.
For the roll shown in your photograph
Instead of using a square pan:
Place the hot nougat on parchment/rice paper.
Shape it into a thick log.
Roll gently while still warm.
Compress the sides firmly.
Allow it to cool completely.
Slice into rounds.
Don’t make the roll too thin—the photograph appears to have a dense, thick center packed with nuts and fruit.
10. Set the nougat
Leave at room temperature for at least 4–6 hours.
For the best slicing texture, leave it overnight.
Avoid a humid kitchen.
Nougat is particularly sensitive to humidity, and professional guidance recommends cool, dry storage.
How to cut it
Use a sharp serrated knife.
Lightly oil the blade.
Cut slowly using a gentle sawing motion.
If it is sticking badly:
chill it for 20–30 minutes
oil the knife
cut again
For the round roll, cut approximately ½–¾ inch / 1.5–2 cm slices.
COMPLETE NUT GUIDE
Nut Amount What it contributes
Almonds 120 g Firm crunch, classic nougat flavor
Pistachios 80 g Color, buttery flavor
Cashews 70 g Creamy, softer crunch
Hazelnuts 50 g Deep roasted flavor
Walnuts 30 g Rich, slightly earthy flavor
Can I use only one nut?
Yes.
Excellent single-nut versions include:
Almond: classic and firm
Pistachio: premium and colorful
Hazelnut: rich and strongly roasted
Cashew: softer and creamy
Can I use peanuts?
Yes, although peanuts change the flavor considerably. Roast them first and use unsalted peanuts.
Can I use pecans?
Yes. Pecans are delicious but softer and more oily, so I’d use them as part of the mixture rather than replacing every nut.
Can I use macadamias?
Yes, but they are expensive and quite fatty. Combine them with almonds or pistachios.
DRIED-FRUIT GUIDE
Good choices:
Cranberries
Dried cherries
Apricots
Raisins
Dates
Figs
Candied orange peel
Candied lemon peel
For the colorful appearance in your photo, I recommend:
cranberry + apricot + orange peel + pistachio.
Avoid using fresh fruit. Its water content can make the nougat sticky and unstable.
Best Combination for the Photo
I’d use:
120 g almonds
80 g pistachios
70 g cashews
50 g hazelnuts
30 g walnuts
plus:
60 g cranberries
50 g apricots
40 g candied orange peel
30 g dried cherries
This gives you the white background with red, orange, green and beige pieces that resembles the photograph.
Q&A / Troubleshooting
Why is my nougat too soft?
Usually the syrup wasn’t cooked hot enough.
Use a candy thermometer and aim for 149–150°C / 300–302°F.
Humidity can also make nougat softer.
Why did my nougat become rock hard?
The syrup was probably cooked too hot or for too long.
Next time, stop around 149–150°C for a firm but chewy texture.
Why won’t my egg whites become fluffy?
Possible causes:
bowl had grease
egg yolk contaminated the whites
whites were over-whipped
syrup was added incorrectly
Use a clean, dry bowl and completely separate the eggs.
Why did my nougat collapse?
The syrup may not have reached a sufficiently high temperature, or too much moisture remained in the mixture.
Why is it extremely sticky?
Try chilling it before cutting.
If it is still extremely sticky after setting, the syrup was likely undercooked or the dried fruit contained too much moisture.
Can I make it without eggs?
You can make egg-free confectionery versions, but this particular traditional white nougat structure depends on whipped egg whites. A starch-based Turkish delight is a different confection. Turkish delight is primarily a starch-and-sugar gel, whereas nougat is typically a whipped egg-white/sugar or honey confection containing nuts.
Can I make it without honey?
Yes. Replace the honey with additional glucose/corn syrup or another suitable invert sugar, but honey provides characteristic flavor and helps create the classic nougat texture.
Can I replace glucose syrup?
Light corn syrup is the easiest substitute.
Don’t simply replace it with water; glucose/invert sugar helps control crystallization.
Can children eat it?
The recipe contains nuts and egg, and the finished candy is very sticky and chewy. For young children, cut it into appropriately small pieces and supervise eating.
Is it gluten-free?
The basic ingredients are naturally gluten-free, provided your glucose/corn syrup, flavorings and wafer/rice paper are certified gluten-free and there is no cross-contamination.
Is it dairy-free?
Yes, the basic recipe contains no dairy.
Is it vegan?
No. Traditional versions contain egg white and honey.
How should I store it?
Wrap individual pieces in parchment or wax paper and keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Humidity is the enemy of nougat. For longer storage, refrigeration can be useful in hot climates, but let refrigerated nougat come toward room temperature before serving.
How long does it last?
For the best texture and flavor, I’d aim to consume homemade nougat within 2–3 weeks, particularly because the dried fruit introduces additional moisture. Keep it tightly wrapped and dry.
Nut-allergy information
This recipe contains multiple tree nuts:
almond, pistachio, cashew, hazelnut and walnut.
It may also contain peanuts if you use them as a substitute.
If serving someone with a nut allergy, don’t simply remove the nuts from this recipe—the equipment, cutting board, mixer and storage containers can also carry traces. Use a genuinely nut-free recipe and dedicated equipment when severe allergy is involved.
Also note the recipe contains egg and may contain gluten depending on the wafer/rice paper and packaged ingredients.
Nutrition note
Nougat is an energy-dense confection because it combines sugar/honey with nuts and dried fruit. The nuts provide protein, unsaturated fats, fiber and minerals, but they don’t make the candy low-sugar. Exact calories depend heavily on the particular nuts and fruit used.
