Sue and I have attempted to clarify some unclear bits -- the
rest is probably self explanatory.
 
On Fri, 9 Feb 1996, Jean-Marie Van Dyck wrote:
 
> The main compound I know with these two is named "nougat" (I don't
> know the english term.  We had had a recipe in the last "La Belgique
> Apicole" issue : entitled: - Nougat de Carthage -
 
In UK English at least, it's still nougat.
 
> ingredients : 1 kg honey, 4 eggs, 1 kg of almonds
>
> I'm not able to translate this in correct english (too difficult terms
> for me) See the process in french, sorry, translating isn't warranty !
>
> Les amandes doivent e^tre bien se`ches au pre'alable, soit a`
> l'e'tuve, soit au four doux, afin qu'elles ne renferment plus
> d'humidite'. => First, well dry the almonds, either in a drying-room,
> either in an oven (mild!).  They must be very dry.
 
Maybe toasted?
 
(Hm -- the ASCII character set isn't very friendly to French!)
 
> Cuire le miel au petit casse', en ayant soin de bien brasser pour
> qu'il ne s'attache pas. => (+-) cook the honey at the "petit-casse'"
> state.  Stir continuously to avoid the attachment?.
 
'Petit-casse' translates as 'small crack' in UK English recipes,
describing the way boiled sugar behaves when cooled.  In this
case, if a thread of the hot syrup is poured into cold water,
the resulting cooled thread will snap if you try to bend it. If
you have a sugar thermometer, this stage is reached when the
syrup has reached 138-C or 280-F. Stir continuously to avoid
the syrup sticking.
 
> Fouetter les blancs d'oeufs en neige et les me'langer au miel. =>
> Beat? the white of the eggs in snow ?? and put them in the honey with
> stirring.
>
> Apre`s cette addition, mode'rer le feu et remuer constamment avec une
> cuiller en bois pour e'viter l'e'bullition. = Diminish the heating
> while stirring with a wood spoon to avoid boilling ?
 
Beat or whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks
(like for meringues), then mix into the honey, then reduce the
heat. _However_ we also think that may not be quite right. We
think that the heat should _first_ be reduced to below boiling
and _then_ the eggs should be mixed in.
 
> Laisser sur le feu jusqu'a` ce que le miel, que les blancs d'oeufs
> auront mouille', ait repris la cuisson au casse'. = Let on the fire?
> till the honey return to the "petit-casse'" state.
 
Increase the heat and return to boiling until the 'small crack' stage
is reached again.
 
> Cette cuisson obtenue, me^ler a` cette pa^te les amandes douces
> e'monde'es et bien se'che'es d'avance. => Put the well dry almonds
> while stiring.
>
> Dresser sur des oublies ou pains d'hostie, de l'e'paisseur ordinaire
> (+-2 cm) et couper le nougat en bandes avant qu'il ne soit tout a`
> fait froid. = Put on some host bread? at the common thickness (+-2 cm)
> and cut in bands before total chill?
 
We think that 'host bread' is 'rice paper'. This may also be
the material from which sacrement wafers are made. If that still
needs further translation, rice paper realy is paper made from
rice and has a texture just a little like expanded polystyrene,
however it's edible and not unpleasant.
 
Regards,
--
Gordon Scott   [log in to unmask]   Hampshire, England.
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