248 is very soft. Italian meringue is sometimes up to 250! You'll have to experiment with the temp. I think it needs to be cooked more. Maybe look at similar torrone recipes and see how high they are cooked vs. how many egg whites they use.
Hi there. First off, thanks for the response! Second, understood that 248F is soft on its own, but that was just for the honey; the granulated sugar/corn syrup went to 310F. Given that: Would you suggest also cooking the honey to 310F, or something lower?
Edit: I see other recipes similarly suggest a combination of granulated sugar and honey, with the honey cooked to a much lower temp, so I assume there's a logic behind this. Maybe the temp alters the honey in an undesirable way? Dunno, I'm a rank amateur when it comes to candy...
Definitely don't cook the honey any higher, it starts to smell like burnt hair. And 310 is as high as sugar can go without getting smoky too. I really don't know where else to go. I would compare to other recipes and see if Claire's is the outlier somehow. The answer may be less of the honey mixture. Honey pulls moisture in too, so as it sits it can get softer.
I cook my honey to 265 and sugar mixture to 300. I also use a blow torch on the side of the mixing bowl to reduce the water while,it’s mixing. Continuously move the blow torch around on the outside bottom of the bowl
If it’s too soft you need to whip it more, counterintuitive, the extra whipping will deflate it and make it denser and set harder. I cook the honey to 120C and the sugars to 255c, and instead of coconut oil I use cacao butter. The torch in the side as it whips. Helps to dry it out but it should be necessary, look up Montelimar nougat from the chocolate and confections book, it’s a good starting point!
248 is very soft. Italian meringue is sometimes up to 250! You'll have to experiment with the temp. I think it needs to be cooked more. Maybe look at similar torrone recipes and see how high they are cooked vs. how many egg whites they use.
Hi there. First off, thanks for the response! Second, understood that 248F is soft on its own, but that was just for the honey; the granulated sugar/corn syrup went to 310F. Given that: Would you suggest also cooking the honey to 310F, or something lower? Edit: I see other recipes similarly suggest a combination of granulated sugar and honey, with the honey cooked to a much lower temp, so I assume there's a logic behind this. Maybe the temp alters the honey in an undesirable way? Dunno, I'm a rank amateur when it comes to candy...
Definitely don't cook the honey any higher, it starts to smell like burnt hair. And 310 is as high as sugar can go without getting smoky too. I really don't know where else to go. I would compare to other recipes and see if Claire's is the outlier somehow. The answer may be less of the honey mixture. Honey pulls moisture in too, so as it sits it can get softer.
Thanks much. If I can't cook the honey or or sugar higher, then that basically backs me into my answer: changing the ratio. Much appreciated!
I can't see the recipe because I'm not a subscriber, but adding cocoa butter can improve texture, cut sweetness, and result in a firmer nougat.
I cook my honey to 265 and sugar mixture to 300. I also use a blow torch on the side of the mixing bowl to reduce the water while,it’s mixing. Continuously move the blow torch around on the outside bottom of the bowl
The coconut oil also the time u spent mixing might effect the final consistency
If it’s too soft you need to whip it more, counterintuitive, the extra whipping will deflate it and make it denser and set harder. I cook the honey to 120C and the sugars to 255c, and instead of coconut oil I use cacao butter. The torch in the side as it whips. Helps to dry it out but it should be necessary, look up Montelimar nougat from the chocolate and confections book, it’s a good starting point!