What are you been cooking today

[judydawn]

Spotlight 

[courton]

Bedlam, that nougat recipe does look very good. At what stage did you add the White chocolate?

[achookwoman]

Roast chicken lunch with fruit and vanilla ice cream to follow.

[judydawn]

I've just made the nougat from the above link Bedlam posted. Thermomixer has one on our forum without the addition of the white chocolate but I liked that idea so went with the other recipe.  Wasn't waiting to find some rice paper so I coated a tray with cake release, popped a piece of baking paper down onto it, brushed that as well.  Poured the thick mixture onto it (golly gosh you do have to work fast at this step so you need to have everything at hand ready to go), brushed another piece of baking paper with cake release, placed that on top so that I could roll the mixture out.  Into the fridge for half and hour and no trouble getting the nougat off the paper at all.

All cut up into strips now - I made my mixture into 23 pieces approx 8-9 cm long, 2.5 cm wide and 1 cm thick.  DD can cut it into shorter lengths if she wants to.  Of course I had to sample all the uneven edges I cut off    Great recipe, I know she will be very pleased with it.

Was wondering how to keep this but Mr Google provided a recipe with the answer -

"Humidity can greatly affect homemade nougat, so to keep your nougat as fresh as possible for longer, wrap in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Do not keep in the fridge, as the moisture will make the nougat weep."

Photo to follow, battery has gone flat

Thanks Denise.

[achookwoman]

Nougat,  I read recently that if you add the nuts warm they slow down the setting time so you can manage to spread the mixture.  Love nougat,  will certainly make this recipe. Thanks Bedlam and Judy.

[courton]

Judy did you add the White chocolate when you added the honey?

[obbie]

choc muffins
 roast beef
chicken legs
 mini barra spring rolls ( for lunch)

[judydawn]

No courton, I added it with the nuts (I used those melts but did chop them into small pieces as you don't get much time to fold the nuts and chocolate through before it starts going hard).

Whilst my battery was recharging I forgot I hadn't taken a photo and wrapped them all in gladwrap.  Removed just a few for the photo.
It is a little sticky, how was yours Denise?  With some of the ends I chopped off I rolled them in icing sugar and have wrapped them to see how long they will stay coated - if that works, I'll tell Jo to do that with them all before serving.

I used roasted hazelnuts and pistachios, only had a few of the latter so would make sure it was even quantities if I made it again.

[Cornish Cream]

Lovely Judy

[courton]

Thanks Judy. The recipe is not clear and I did not want a disaster on my hands.

[Katj]

I have made 2 batches of Nougat for hampers. 1st one just Hazelnut. It said 50gm white chocolate for a chewer consistency, I went with 40gm. Perfect for. My taste, not too soft. 2nd batch I used cranberry's & Pistachios with only 30 gems of the White Choc melts. I thought because cranberries are soft , Ididn't want the nougat too soft. Worked a treat!
Last year I didn't use White Choc at all, the nougat was very crunchy, which I personally loved, but  I  thought I would be kinder to my teeth this year. Lol
When I had finished trying yo feet it all from the bowl (nearly impossible) I thought how will I ever get the bowl clean, but filling it with hot soapy water does the trick pretty quickly.

[Katj]

I forgot to mention, I wrapped them in individual  wrappers in clear cellophane with twisted ends like a  Bon Bon, about 4cm long by 2 wide. They are stored in the cupboard in a bag. Still good at last tasting, haha. I made them a week ago.

[cookie1]

It looks lovely Judy. Is it hard or chewy? My teeth tend to break with lots of things and I kind of try to be kind to them. 

[judydawn]

It's chewy cookie.

[achookwoman]

As soon as our lunch visitors left I made this.  the heating of the nuts and fruit does extend the handling time. I used Judy's suggestion and brushed with cake release. i set it in a tin and had to use a cloth over the paper as it was too hot to push into shape by hand.
I added, Pistachios , almonds and a few macadamias and some chopped apricots. I roasted the nuts in the air fryer then added the apricot pieces and 3 minutes before the 1 hour was up,  reheated the lot.
I am going to pour melted Lindt chocolate over the cut bars.

today also made a pasta dish with pumpkin and Ricotta (made in TMX) mixed with home grown spinach. Photo before last layer of pumpkin and Mozzarella.

Roasted a duck and chicken.