The Arabs introduced this delicious sweet made with almonds, honey and egg white to the Iberian Peninsula. And the evidence shows the popularity of nougat during Christmas since the fifteenth century. The one from Alicante (the hard one) and the one from Jijona (the soft one) are the original nougats, although today we find them in a multitude of varieties: imperial, yolk, chocolate with almonds, truffle, guirlache… many are manufactured industrially, although still in many areas of Spain there are workshops that make it by hand, with family recipes inherited from generation to generation.
A Christmas without nougat is not the same, which is why in Spain it is the most consumed sweet product during these dates. But also, the nougat has become popular in countries like France, Italy and some of the American continent.
Generally, whether it is handmade, homemade or bought from the supermarket, it usually does not last long. It is so delicious that the family attacks the nougat as if there was nothing else to eat. But towards the end of Christmas there is always nougat left over. There is a kind of generalized intoxication of polvorones, nougats and other Christmas sweets that accompany us on these dates, and we always tend to save the leftover to enjoy it a little later
Step by step to keep the nougat much longer
It is a general mistake to think that nougat can be kept in the fridge. In fact, excessive cold can affect its fat, breaking it down and spoiling its flavor and consistency. If stored properly, artisanal or homemade hard nougat will last approximately two weeks at room temperature and commercial nougat up to three weeks once opened (if not opened, until its expiration date). In the case of soft nougat, it can only be kept for around three days.
What should you do to preserve it properly? We give you the following tips:
- The ideal is to divide it into elongated portions to preserve it better. In the case of soft nougat you can spread a little oil on the knife so that it does not stick.
- Once cut, preferably wrap it with rice paper (rice paper is edible and does not stick to soft nougat, but if you don’t have it you can use film). Then, wrap it again with waxed paper (parchment paper) or aluminum foil.
- After this step, store it carefully in an airtight container, a cookie tin or a Tupperware container. Keep it in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.
- One trick is to label the container with the date the nougats were made so you know when to eat them.
- In the case of industrial or commercial nougats, it is recommended to store them in the hermetic container with their original packaging, but if it has broken or spoiled for some reason, you can keep it like the artisanal and homemade ones.
- By the way, if you dare to make homemade nougat you should know that soft nougat is kept when it is completely cold, but it is better to keep the hard nougat a little earlier so that it does not harden excessively.
- In addition, it is important to take into account that you should open and unwrap it a few minutes before serving. If you prepare a tray of nougat too far in advance, you risk spoiling its flavor, especially if you live in a humid environment.
Can the nougats be frozen?
As we have already said, cold and humid conditions are not the most recommended for preserving nougat. However, if you tried home cooking this year and made too much, it would be a shame to waste it. So we are going to tell you some tricks to keep them in the freezer, since with this method you can keep them for up to a year.
- First, cut into small pieces, so that you can take out only what you are going to eat. Then you should wrap them with rice paper (or film if you don’t have one), in the same way as in the process of conservation at room temperature.
- After this first wrap, line each piece with aluminum foil. Now it’s time to introduce them into an airtight container suitable for freezing, but first, line the container with waxed paper. In this way you will avoid as much as possible that moisture penetrates the nougat.
- Make sure it is well closed, label it with the date you will save the nougats and put it in the freezer.
It’s very easy, right? When you want to taste them, take them out and unwrap them directly, then wait for them to thaw on their own at room temperature, on a plate or container without a lid.
Can I put the nougat in the fridge to keep it?
- We repeat that cold is not the best method of preserving nougat, so if you live in a cold climate, forget about the fridge. However, you may live in a tropical climate and this year you want to make nougat. If the room temperature is very high and there is excess humidity, then the refrigerator may be the best option.
- In this case, you just have to follow the steps that we previously told you to freeze the nougat, although wrapping it once in rice paper or plastic wrap will be enough. If you have bought a commercial nougat, leave the excess in its original packaging and put it as it is in the airtight container lined with waxed paper.