A gorgeous-looking dessert that consists of diverse textures and layered sweetness, this gourmet nougat recipe by Michelin Chef Serge Philippin is sure to be a hit in your fancy dinner or formal lunch.  It is a bit more complicated to prepare than the average nougat dessert, but the finished result is well worth all the work.  You can prepare the ingredients days before you actually serve it so you don’t have to sweat it. Store it in the fridge for as long as ten or fifteen days and it will be as good as new when ready to serve.

The frozen nougat is made with Italian meringue and heavy cream mixed with caramelized nuts and candied fruits, and served with delicious raspberry syrup.  It is a rich and indulgent dessert dish that combines various ingredients to flood the taste buds with different frequencies of sweetness and textures—chewy, crunchy, nutty, creamy, and tangy with a hint of sourness from the raspberry juice and the candied fruits.  Chef Philippin serves this with mint leaves and some fresh raspberries to contrast with the frozen crunchiness of the nougat.      

To make this recipe, you have to prepare all the ingredients first. There are four things you must do before you mix them all together:  make the caramelized nuts, prepare the candied fruits, whip up the Italian meringue, and do the raspberry syrup.  They must be chilled first before they are combined to make the frozen nougat.   The syrup, however, can be served either warm or chilled depending on your preference.  A nice and warm raspberry syrup will give a pleasant contrast to the cold dessert.      

Chef Philippin uses a rectangular plastic mold to shape the nougat but you can also use a circular mold if you wish.  You can even make one big piece and slice it up later to serve individually to guests.

Ingredients

Nougatine:
10 1/2 oz. ground almonds
10 1/2 oz. sugar
3.5 oz. preserved fruits (pineapple, apricots, clementines, orange peel, figs, all cut into small cubes) Other ingredients: 1.1 lbs. heavy cream)
Italian meringue:
3 egg whites
3.5 oz. rum
1/4 lbs. sugar
Raspberry sauce:
14 oz. raspberries
1/4 cup sugar
1
Make some nougatine: Grill some hazelnuts. Take some sugar then heat till it caramelizes. Pour in almonds, ground grilled hazelnuts, and then mix together. Drop the mixture in an oiled marble plate, spread thinly then let cool. Once it has cooled down, break into pieces.

2
Make candied fruits: Macerate preserved fruits in the rum (make the sizes not too big nor too small).

3
Make Italian meringue: Caramelize some sugar, whip egg whites, and beat together with a blender for about 15 minutes. Refrigerate. Make Chantilly: Whip up some liquid whipping cream into an unsweetened Chantilly.

4
Make a coulis: Boil the raspberries in a pan with some sugar then strain through a strainer then through a very fine muslin cloth.

5
Take everything out of the freezer. Place a container on top of some ice, blend everything but the coulis on it – just until everything is mixed up smoothly. Fill up molds or just let it be in one big piece then just slice it up later, whichever you prefer. Place in the freezer for 2 hours or so.

6
Serve by pouring some coulis on the serving plate then place the frozen treat on top of it. Garnish as liked and then you’re ready to serve the treat. Enjoy!