Jijona nougat

How to make nougat from Jijona . Along with the polvorón and the marzipan , the nougat is one of the most representative traditional sweets of Christmas in Spain.

Of all the varieties that we can find today, the Jijona nougat is one of the classics that resists all kinds of fashions and currents. It is rare that it is not present in our homes at Christmas parties.

The Jijona nougat is also known by the name of “ soft nougat ”, as opposed to the hard nougat that is Alicante. In my house they have always been called soft and hard nougat and I sense that many of you call them the same, am I wrong?

Be that as it may, these are the two most classic nougats of all and, like the vast majority of sweets that have almond and honey among their ingredients, they came to our country with Muslim domination in the Middle Ages, although the Spanish version of the nougat did not It was born until the 15th century in Alicante.

The truth is that making this sweet almond at home is easy and fast. The ingredients we need are very basic, so finding them is a piece of cake, and no strange gadget is required, another point in favor of jumping into it.

We have used a specific nougat mold, but you can use a plum cake mold or even a milk brick cut in half. Imagination to the power!

That said, there is nothing more to add than that the homemade Jijona nougat at Christmas has nothing to do with the industrial one. The texture is the softest and can be softer, but if you are one of those who like to emulate the industrial as much as possible, increasing the amount of almond will suffice.

Of course, do not change anything else so that the flavor does not vary. You will have a sublime homemade Jijona nougat to accompany the Christmas table.

Preparation of the base cream for the Jijona nougat

1. We heat a wide frying pan and pour in it the ground almond. We toast over medium heat, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn. We just want it to brown, so watch out. As soon as it takes color, remove the pan from the heat and let it warm.
2. The next step is to heat the honey with the sugar until the latter dissolves. We will do it in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally and ensuring that it does not caramelize. Once ready and well amalgamated honey and sugar, turn off the heat and let it warm slightly.
3. Meanwhile we separate the white from the yolk, saving the latter for another use. We beat the white.
4. We also take the opportunity to wash the lemon well, dry and finely grate.
5. Transfer the honey and sugar mixture to a deep and wide container and add the white. We beat vigorously for about 10 minutes to make sure that any lumps that come out due to the effect of heat disappear.
6. Next we add the ground cinnamon, the lemon zest and the almond. We mix well and for the time necessary so that all the ingredients are well integrated.

Form and presentation of the Jijona nougat

1. We will obtain a paste that is difficult to work with initially, but if we use our hands (very clean) we can knead in the same container and move faster.
2. Grease the nougat mold with a little vegetable oil, smearing the base and sides, and fill with the mixture. We spread over the entire surface and compact by hand, initially, and with the back of a greased spoon, later.
3. Once the nougat tablet is formed, we let it rest in the fridge for a minimum of three or four hours so that it acquires consistency. At the time of unmolding we remove it and give a little heat to the sides and the base to make it easier.
4. We can also line the mold with parchment paper and simply pull it out. To taste. The important thing is to unmold the nougat, chop and enjoy.

Here you have a step by step in photos where I show how to prepare this Jijona nougat recipe . Do not miss any detail so that it comes out perfect.

Tips for a delicious Jijona nougat

• The only difficulty in preparing homemade Jijona nougat is to mix all the ingredients well. If we use our hands and take it easy, we should have no problem.
• Instead of using ground almonds we can use whole peeled and raw almonds, toast it and then grind it. This can be complicated because if we pass the almond loose its oils and it is something that we must avoid.
• If you dare to do it at home we recommend that you grind it (do not grind it) little by little and always making sure that no paste is formed.
• There are those who like to find small pieces of almond on the tablet. To do this you just have to make sure not to grind the almond excessively.
• In case of using ground almonds, remove a small one all the ingredients and products must be of the highest quality. In this way we can enjoy a true jewel of gastronomic crafts (about 20 grams) and substitute roasted almond granules.
• Finally, we recommend using the highest quality ingredients. In this way we can enjoy a true jewel of gastronomic crafts, the Jijona nougat .