Milk Candy “Nougat”

When I was young, my mother used to be in love with these Taiwanese milk-flavored nougat candies.  We didn’t buy them all the time since they weren’t cheap, but when we did, we couldn’t keep our hands out of the box.  They were white in color with almonds mixed throughout, and were quite hard and solid until you popped one into your mouth, where it would then magically soften into an irresistibly chewy, milky, decadent gob.

As with a lot of store-bought foods we loved, we figured we could probably make the candies at home, and after weeks of experimenting, came up with our own homemade version.  It wasn’t much like the store-bought version we had tried to recreate; in fact, it was better.
Like the Taiwanese nougat, it was chewy and sweet, and had a crunch from the roasted almonds in it.  But unlike the Taiwanese nougat, it also had an amazing hint of caramel flavor, and was considerably softer.  The texture was unlike that of any candy I had had before: dense, yet with a surprising marshmallowy tenderness.

Although I’ve always called this “nougat” simply for the way it looks with the almonds added in, it’s probably something closer to a milk candy, almost like a version of White Rabbit candy (which, if you don’t know, is this awesome Chinese rice paper-wrapped, taffy-like milk candy that was the stuff of my childhood dreams 🙂 ).  If you’re super fond of milk candies and caramel-type candies like I am, you’ll find these to be extremely tasty and addictive.

This recipe calls for salted butter, which I know seems less for making desserts or candy and more for spreading on your toast, but that little bit of saltiness makes a delicious difference, as it brings out the sweetness and really enhances the creamy, caramelly flavor of the candy.
A couple of times I’ve also experimented with different flavor variations, adding a spoonful or so of matcha green tea or cocoa powder along with the powdered milk.  You could also throw in some dried fruit or other nuts of your choice, things like pistachios and dried cranberries or hazelnuts and cacao nibs.

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Milk Candy “Nougat”     –     makes approximately 40 pieces

– 3  1/2 tbsp. salted butter
– 4 cups miniature marshmallows
– 1 cup + 2 tbsp. powdered whole milk
– 1 1/2 cups roasted almonds

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat.  Add in the marshmallows and stir until completely melted.  Gradually mix in the powdered milk, about 2 tablespoons at a time, until fully combined; the mixture should resemble a sticky gob of dough and, when pulled through with a spatula, should move back slowly like thick molten lava.  If you want more of a caramel flavor, continue to cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until slightly caramelized and very lightly golden in color; otherwise, turn off the heat and fold in the roasted almonds until well distributed throughout.  Immediately remove the mixture from the saucepan and evenly roll it out between two silicone mats or sheets of parchment paper to a 1/2-inch thickness.  Allow to cool completely, then cut into 1.5″ x 3/4″ pieces.  Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

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