This almond-studded nougat is said to have originated during the Serenissima Republic in the Northern Italian region of Veneto. Almonds (“mandorle”) as the name might suggest, are the main ingredient in this 4-ingredient recipe. Follow our recipe for Mandorlato di Cologna Veneta and learn to make this nutty, textured sweet treat.
Mandorlato di Cologna Veneta
Serves 6 - Prepare and cook in 1 ¼ hour
Ingredients
- 1kg blanched almonds
- 500g honey
- 2 egg whites, room temperature
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- Wafer paper (optional)
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 120 degrees Celsius (°C). Place almonds on a baking tray and bake for approximately 10 minutes. Melt the honey in a bagnomaria (“bain-marie”) for 20 minutes — it must be completely liquid.
Step 2
Place the egg whites (at room temperature) in a bowl and begin to whisk until stiff peaks form. Fold half of the stiff egg whites into the honey, reheat the bagnomaria and cook the mixture for 30 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool slightly. Once tepid, carefully fold in the remaining stiff egg whites, followed by the toasted almonds and cinnamon.
Step 3
Line a shallow baking pan with wafer paper or baking parchment and pour in the mandorlato mixture. Let it cool and harden, then cut into individual portions. Buon Appetito!