Nutella Nougat

Nutella Nougat

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 60 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 80 mins
Servings: 16 servings

Nutella Nougat is a soft, fluffy nougat with a delicious chocolate-hazelnut flavor. Packed with toasted hazelnuts, it makes the perfect filling for homemade candy bars! As with many egg white-based candies, nougat does not do well in humidity, so try to choose a low humidity day to make this candy.

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate (finely chopped)
  • 3 large egg whites (room temperature)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 3/4 cups corn syrup (light)
  • 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (like Nutella)
  • 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts (toasted)
  • 2 pounds chocolate candy coating (for dipping)

Steps to Make It

Make the Nougat

  1. Gather the nougat ingredients.

    Nutella Nougat ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Prepare a 9-by-9-inch pan by lining it with foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray. For thinner nougat, a 9-by-13-inch pan can be used.

    greased and aluminum foil lined baking pan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring after every 30 seconds to prevent overheating. Once melted, set aside to cool to room temperature.

    melted chocolate in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl of a large stand mixer that has been thoroughly cleaned and dried. Any traces of grease on the bowl or whisk will prevent the egg whites from beating properly.

    egg whites and salt in a stand mixer

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Combine the corn syrup, sugar and water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then brush down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to remove any stray sugar crystals. Insert a candy thermometer, and cook the syrup, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 230 F (110 C).

    Combine the corn syrup, sugar and water in a large saucepan, thermometer

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Start beating the egg whites with the large mixer using the whisk attachment when the syrup reaches 230 F. Beat until the whites form stiff peaks. Ideally, this stage should be reached when the sugar syrup reaches 240 F (116 C), but if the whites are at stiff peaks before the syrup is ready, stop the mixer so the whites are not overbeaten. Replace the whisk attachment with the paddle attachment.

    whipped egg white mixture in a stand mixer

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Remove the pan from the burner, when the mixture reaches 240 degrees F (116 C), and carefully pour about 3/4 cup of hot syrup into a large measuring cup. Return the pan to the heat to allow it to continue cooking.

    syrup in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Turn the mixer speed to low, and slowly and carefully stream the 3/4 cup of hot syrup into the egg whites.

    egg whites with syrup in a stand mixer

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  9. Let the eggs continue beating on medium-low speed while the syrup cooks. Cook the syrup until it reaches 280 F (138 C).

    egg white mixture and syrup mixture in a stand mixer

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  10. Pour the remaining syrup into a large mixing cup with a spout—this makes it much easier and safer to pour. With the mixer running, slowly stream in the remaining hot sugar syrup. Be very careful pouring—it can leave a nasty burn.

    nougat mixture in a stand mixer

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  11. Turn the mixer off once the sugar is thoroughly mixed in. Pour in the melted chocolate, vanilla extract, and Nutella, and stir with a rubber spatula until well-mixed. Add the toasted hazelnuts last, and mix until well-incorporated. The candy will be sticky and stiff.

    nougat mixture in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  12. Scrape the candy into the prepared pan. Allow to set for several hours at room temperature.

    nougat mixture in a baking pan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  13. Refrigerate until firm for the cleanest cuts, cutting candy with a large sharp chef's knife, as it remains soft and fluffy at room temperature. If it gets too sticky, wash the knife with hot water in between cuts.

    nougat mixture cut into pieces

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Dip in Chocolate

  1. Gather the chocolate ingredients.

    chocolate pieces in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Melt the chocolate candy coating in the microwave, stirring after every 30 seconds.

    melted chocolate in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Line work surface with waxed paper or parchment paper. Use a metal spatula to spread a thin layer of coating on the bottom of every bar, then put the bar, coating side-down, on the work surface to set. This bottom layer of chocolate will give the nougat some stability for dipping.

    nougat pieces dipped into melted chocolate in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Submerge a bar, once set, in ​coating and use dipping tools to pull it out. Let excess drip back into the bowl, drag the bottom of the bar against the lip of the bowl, then place the bar back on the waxed paper to set completely.

    Nutella Nougat on a cutting board

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Sprinkle the top of the bars, while the chocolate is still wet, with crushed hazelnuts, if desired.

    Nutella Nougat bars topped with hazelnuts

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • Once set, the bars can be stored and served at room temperature.
  • Because this nougat is wonderfully soft at room temperature, it's not ideal for serving without a chocolate coating.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
649 Calories
30g Fat
91g Carbs
8g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 649
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 30g 38%
Saturated Fat 17g 85%
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Sodium 77mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 91g 33%
Dietary Fiber 8g 27%
Protein 8g
Calcium 55mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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