The Original.
Almond nougat with a scent of vanilla.
Many people know nougat as a white candy with (pieces of) nuts in it, hard or soft, sometimes quite sticky.
This white variety of nougat indeed is The Original and it gets its colour from the marriage between egg white, honey and sugars. In fact, nougat is related to french mérengue, which is merely egg white and crystal sugar, whipped together in a so called planetary mixer. The name mérengue actually comes from the famous latin dance style, during which a couple dances turning around while making a large circle at the same time... exactly like in your kitchen mixer!
The stickiness you sometimes encounter when tasting nougat comes from moisture that wasn't evaporated sufficiently during the cooking of the sugars... surely not to be experienced with Vital's recipe!
The unique taste of Vital's "white nougat" lies in the most careful selection of flavours: nature's best almonds, honey and: vanilla.
This is the full ingredient list of Vital's vanilla nougat:
Sugar (< beet, from Belgium), almonds (peeled and dry toasted, from California), glucose syrup (< corn starch, from France), honey (from Yucatan, Mexico), egg white (< chicken eggs, freshly pasteurized), wafer paper (from natural potato starch and unhardened palm oil) and natural vanilla from Madagascar. Nothing else.
By the way, it's..:
-Free from preservatives, colouring agents, emulsifiers, stabilisers and other chemicals. We do not use gelatin.
-Allergen info: contains nuts, egg and traces of SO2 (< glucose). It's peanut-free.
-Year round kosher-parev certified and halal.
-Suitable for vegetarians (not for vegans: contains egg).
-Gluten free!
-To be kept dry and away from direct sunlight, preferrably in a tin box (not in your fridge).
Nougat & Health...
Nougat is a candy and therefore often considered to be bad for your health.
But what's really going on?
-No need to deny it: nougat contains quite some calories. Consequently, one shouldn't eat too much of it! We also believe a fine nougat needs to be savoured, not swallowed in huge quantities...
-On the pro side, nougat is low in fat, and the only source of fat comes from the almonds - so they're poly unsaturated fats: the healthy ones such as in olive oil.
-On the other hand, most of the calories come from sugars, which makes that nougat has a rather high-glycemic character, although tempered by the nut content, slowing down the sugar raise in your blood.
-Another pro: nougat is entirely cholesterol free!
-And -at least for Vital's nougat: free of preservatives, artificial flavourings, emulsifiers, stabilizers and other chemicals. Simple craftsmanship ensures quality and shelflife, as it should.
Perhaps an interesting thought:
A healthy life starts with your personal balance between mind and body and therefore..: moderation in your diet and enough physical exercise.
Banning all delicious food in life would make it rather poor and dull, not?
Next time: Vital's Cappuccino Nougat!
