Iranian Gaz Recipe (Persian Nougat)
Gaz is a traditional Iranian nougat candy that originates from the Isfahan region. Its primary ingredients include sugar or corn syrup, pistachios, almond kernels, rosewater, and egg whites.
Ingredients
Meringue
- Egg whites – 2
- Sugar – 1 cup
- Glucose or corn syrup – 1/2 cup
- Water – 2 tbsp
Syrup
- Sugar – 1 ½ cup
- Corn syrup – 1 ½ cup
Additions
- Almonds or pistachios (blanched and toasted) – 1 ½ cups
- Butter – 2 tbsp
- Rose water or vanilla extract – 2 tsp
Instructions
- Take a baking pan and a large bowl and grease them both with butter.
- Now, the first step is to prepare the meringue. Start by whisking the egg whites. Mix them until you see stiff peaks forming.
- Next, take a pan and add sugar, glucose (or corn syrup), and water to it. Begin cooking them over a medium flame. Make sure to keep stirring all the ingredients constantly. Wait until the sugar is dissolved completely and the mix starts to boil.
- Once it starts to boil, turn the flame down and let it cook for an extra 10 minutes. Check it using the food thermometer and wait till it reads 230˚F. Remember not to stir any longer.
- Gradually, transfer the hot mixture to the bowl containing the whisked egg whites. Combine all the ingredients properly until stiff and tepid. This should take you about 10 minutes.
- Shift the prepared mixture to the bowl lubricated with butter from step 1.
- Now, take a large saucepan and start preparing the syrup by adding sugar and glucose (or corn syrup), to the saucepan. Cook them over a medium flame. Make sure the sugar dissolves completely and that mixture starts to boil.
- Allow it to cook for the next 10 minutes and remember to keep stirring often. Check the temperature using a cooking thermometer and wait until it reads 275˚F.
- Next, take the syrup and pour it on top of the meringue. Do not scrape the pan that it was prepared in. Take a wooden spoon and start blending.
- Now, take a small bowl, and mix melted butter or ghee with rosewater or vanilla extract. Slowly, add it to the syrup and meringue mix.
- Throw in the blanched and toasted pistachios or almonds.
- Shift the gaz mixture into the baking pan greased with butter from step 1. Allow it to cool for some hours and then cut it into small pieces. Serve immediately.
- If you want to store it for later, then wrap the Gaz in a wax paper and place it in a cool and dry place.
Nutrition
Calories: 354kcalCarbohydrates: 86gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 62mgSugar: 86g
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