Nougat does not set

Question

I am trying to make nougat.

First I used the following quantities to make one batch:

• 2 egg whites
• 440g icing sugar
• 2 Tbsp liquid glucose
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 4 Tbsp water

I heated the sugar syrup to 145 Celcius and added it gradually to egg whites that I had whipped to soft peaks. I then whipped the mixture until it was thick, shiny and smooth. This worked well and the nougat set properly within an hour. However, it was much too sweet and did not taste enough like honey.

So I found another recipe with more honey:

• 2 egg whites
• 225g granulated sugar
• 140g honey
• 1½ tbsp liquid glucose
• 110ml water

This recipe said to heat the sugar syrup to 160 Celcius because the slight bitterness of the sugar counters the sweetness to provide a balanced taste. Again, I added it to egg whites whipped to soft peaks and whipped the mixture to the same point as above. This mixture did not set, not even overnight.

I made the second recipe again, this time whipping the nougat mixture for a lot longer, but it still did not set overnight.

What am I doing wrong? I much prefer the taste of the second recipe, it is not too sweet, but for some reason it does not want to set.

My questions are:

1. Am I whipping the nougat mixture too little/too much?
2. To what temperature should the sugar be heated?
3. What is the difference between the first and second recipe that is preventing the second one from setting

Answer 1

Without making it I wouldn't know for sure but I would guess there is just to much water in it. In the first recipe there is 4 tbs water=57g plus another 7 tbs liquid sugars=147g (aprox) and 440 dry ingredient. In the second one there is 110ml=110g water 170g liquid sugars and 225 g dry. Both honey and liquid glucose are about 15-20% water so in the first recipe there is really about 85g water 115-120 g honey sugars and 440 dry. In the second there is about 140g water 140 honey sugars and 225 dry. So in the first recipe there is around 6.5 times more sugar then water whereas in the 2nd recipe there is only about 2.5 times the sugar. So my guess is that's it's just to wet to set up. Sorry if my math is terrible but it's close enough to show the point I think.

Also in regards to the temperature. Soft crack is 132-144c Hard crack is 145-154c so definitely not to 160.