Gumdrop Nougat is an old-fashioned fruit filled taffy, made on the stove and whipped with egg white for a light and chewy texture.
Gumdrop Nougat
By Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime
Jump to Recipe
Gumdrop Nougat is my recipe of the day for the blogging event Christmas Sweets Week. This is an annual event that I have participated in for a few years now. It gives me and a number of bloggers the chance to share a few more of our holiday recipes besides the Christmas Cookies event we did a few weeks back.
Print Recipe
I chose this as my recipe because I have been wanting to try it for awhile. The basic recipe comes from the Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook with a few changes. My Mom had the book from years ago but not the stand mixer. I had a mixer but not the book until she passed it on to me with the rest of her collection. My husband’s family also had the book. It seems to be common.
Making this does require a working candy thermometer and a Kitchen Aid mixer or equivalent. The nougat is pretty easy to make, although the process does go quick. Tip: It is useful to have one helper on the mixer with the egg whites while you work the syrup on the stove.
It starts to set up fast so be sure to get it into the pan quickly as you finish.
The next day, it may take some prying to get it from the pan. Then cut with a hot wet chef’s knife into strips, then chunks on a cutting board. Rince off the knife after each cut. Annoying yes, but not that hard.
I’d bought some candy wrappers from Jo-Ann to do these. I actually think I’d just prefer cutting up squares of wax paper from the roll. Some of my candy liked to stick a little to the ready cut candy wrapper. Wax paper works best.
Once wrapped, keep them in a ziploc bag and use within a week. All chewy candy likes to be used fresh for best flavor and texture.
Christmas Sweets Week
Welcome to #ChristmasSweetsWeek!! We have 12 bloggers sharing over 30 recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings this holiday season. There are some giftable recipes, breakfast recipes, and delicious dessert recipes. Make sure to follow #ChristmasSweetsWeek on social media to see all of our delicious sweets.
Wednesday’s Recipes
- Chocolate Cherry Tart from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Classic Spritz Cookies from A Little Fish in the Kitchen
- Eggnog Pumpkin Pie from Shockingly Delicious
- Gingerbread Melonpan from Magical Ingredients
- Gingerbread Waffles from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Gumdrop Nougat from Palatable Pastime
- Mini Oreo Cheesecake Bites from Art of Natural Living
- Peppermint Cheesecake Dip from Cheese Curd In Paradise
- Reindeer Bait from Sweet Beginnings
- Sweet and Spicy Roasted Pecans from A Day in the Life on the Farm
We will be pinning all recipes to the #ChristmasSweeetsWeek Pinterest board. Follow it to see all the delicious recipes!
Gumdrop Nougat
You Might Also Like:
Easy Caramel Modjestkas
Easy Caramel Modjestkas wrap soft chewy caramel around a soft marshmallow center all without the fuss of making these candies from scratch.
Christmas Crack (Saltine Toffee)
Christmas crack is a simple holiday treat that transforms saltine crackers into a delicious toffee candy in about 15 minutes with only five ingredients.
Reindeer Crunch (White Chocolate Popcorn)
Reindeer crunch popcorn drizzled with white chocolate and candy bits makes a perfect holiday gift or stocking stuffer.
Oreo Truffles
Oreo Truffles use only 4 ingredients and are a no-bake recipe simple enough for even children to assist with making.
Black Walnut Fudge
Delicious chocolate fudge with chopped black walnuts makes a festive holiday gift or sweet treat.
Gumdrop Nougat
If you have tried this recipe please consider leaving a star rating or review.
Gumdrop Nougat
Equipment
- Candy thermometer
- 2 quart saucepan
- electric mixer fitted with whip attachment
- silicone spatula
- 9x9 inch glass baking pan
- Wax paper
Ingredients
- 13 ounces Dots gumdrops candies (2 boxes, not sugar coated gumdrops)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch pan prep
- 2 tablespoons soft butter pan prep
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 cups light corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
Instructions
- Chop each gumdrop into fourths and set aside.
- Butter the baking pan and sprinkle with cornstarch, lightly shaking out excess.
- Place candy thermometer on side of the saucepan.
- Add the sugar, corn syrup, salt and water to the pan and whisk to dissolve the sugar.
- Heat mixture over high heat, bringing to a boil and stirring constantly, until the candy thermometer reaches 250F (hard ball stage).
- Meanwhile, whip the egg whites in the electric mixer fitted with a wire whip until they become stiff peaks.
- When the syrup gets to 250F, add about a one cup ladle full of the syrup to the egg whites with the mixer running. The mixture should become glossy. Add the vanilla.
- Keep cooking the remaining syrup until it gets to 300F (hard crack stage).
- Once at 300F, add the rest of the syrup to the mixer with it still running, and once that mixes in, add the butter, continuing to mix until smooth.
- If the mixer does not mix very well, beat the mix by hand with a wooden spoon.
- Stir the chopped gumdrops into the candy mixture and as soon as it is in, pour the nougat into the corn-starched pan, spreading evenly.
- Brush the top of the candy with cornstarch, shaking off excess, using something like a silicone basting brush.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap (Glad Press & Seal). Let cool and rest overnight.
- Next day, pry out the large piece of nougat and cut into squares, rinsing the knife with hot water frequently.
- Place squares in waxed paper squares and twist edges. Keep in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
Nutrition
Don’t Forget to Pin & Save the Recipe!
Join my recipe group on Facebook for more recipes from blogger friends around the world!
Palatable Recipes
This looks so pretty! I love all the colors in there. I always loved the cinnamon gumdrops. They would be perfect for the holidays.
so good! I tried the other recipe with marshmallows and white chiocolate and thought this was much closer to original
I think those other types of recipes are closer to fudge