How to make gluten-free soft nougat? Discover how the recipe for Jijona nougat is gluten-free, ideal for people with celiac disease who cannot eat any gluten.
If there is a typical Christmas dessert or sweet that has become one of the best known and most traditional (especially in our country, where it is in fact extremely popular and common), there is no doubt that nougat is the one that stands out the most. Why? Fundamentally because our country is characterized by being a region with a great nougat tradition.
Thus, a short time later, around 1582 to be precise, we find a document from the municipality of Alicante itself in which it is mentioned that, every year and since time immemorial, in this place it is customary to eat an arroba of nougat for the Christmas parties, as a way to pay part of the workers’ wages.
What does Jijona nougat consist of?
Originally, Jijona nougat consists of a kind of soft nougat made with almonds and honey. That is to say, it is wonderful sweet dough that is obtained by cooking honey to which peeled and toasted almonds are incorporated.
These ingredients are subsequently kneaded, giving it a rectangular or cake shape, and are reserved in the refrigerator as a way to acquire more consistency.
It is obvious that the traditional nougat from Jijona may contain traces of gluten, especially if we are not the ones who make it at home and we do not know what ingredients have been used in its preparation. Therefore, it is not a recommended option for celiac.
However, did you know we can enjoy a good gluten-free nougat from Jijona, ideal for those who suffer from celiac disease?
Gluten-free Jijona nougat recipe
The option that we propose on this occasion is ideal if you have celiac disease, since it is a Jijona nougat recipe that is one hundred percent gluten-free, and therefore it is suitable for coeliacs. Do you dare to prepare it? It’s simpler than you think. Write down the necessary ingredients and the steps to make it at home.
Ingredients:
- 625g raw almonds
- 87g of honey
- 125 g of organic and unrefined sugar (you can substitute it with icing sugar)
Preparation of the gluten-free Jijona nougat:
First of all we are going to start by toasting our almonds. To do this, preheat the oven to 180º C temperature, and when it is hot, distribute the almonds on the oven tray. Put in the oven and heat for 5 minutes, until the almonds begin to brown. Then remove them from the oven and reserve them.
If you are going to use icing sugar you can skip this step. If not, and you are going to use sugar, put it in the coffee grinder and grind it well until you get as fine a powder as possible.
Put the almonds in the glass of the food processor or blender and grind them well, until the almonds begin to release their oil.
Then mix the icing sugar in a large bowl with the honey, and add the almond paste. Mix everything well again in the kitchen robot or food processor, until you get an almost liquid paste.
Line a mold with baking paper (or non-stick), pour the nougat dough and reserve in the refrigerator for a few hours. If you let it rest for a few days, the result will be even better.
To finish, remove it from the mold and with the help of some absorbent paper towels (or napkins) remove the excess oil from both the top and the bottom. Ready! Cut it into pieces or as you prefer.
