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Gaz

Pistachio nougat

Gaz-e Isfahani (گز): rose-scented pistachio nougat from Isfahan

Gaz is the sweet every visitor carries home from Isfahan, sold in round tins of floury, pistachio-studded pieces at the bazaar near Naqsh-e Jahan square and handed round with tea at Nowruz. Isfahan's confectioners make it with angebin, a sap gathered from tamarisk shrubs, which is hard to find abroad; this home version whips egg white into a hot sugar and glucose syrup to get the same soft, chewy, white nougat, scented with rosewater. A common mistake is pulling the syrup off the heat too soon: below 140 °C the gaz stays sticky and never sets. Chef's tip: cut it with a knife dipped in hot water and toss the pieces straight into flour so they don't stick to each other.
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
hard
Serves
24
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Ingredients

Serves24

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Method

0/7 done
  1. Step 1: Line a 20 × 20 cm tin with baking paper and dust it heavily with some of the 1 oz cornflour or rice flour. Warm the 7 oz unsalted pistachios in a low oven so they don't cool the nougat when you fold them in.

    5 min
  2. Step 2: Put the 10 ½ oz caster sugar, 5 ½ oz liquid glucose, 2 ⅛ oz mild honey and ¼ cup water in a heavy saucepan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Then stop stirring, clip on a sugar thermometer and boil.

    5 min
  3. Step 3: When the syrup reaches 250°F, start whisking the 2 egg whites in a stand mixer to stiff peaks.

    8 min
  4. Step 4: Keep boiling the syrup to 300°F, about 8 minutes more. With the mixer running, pour it in a thin stream down the side of the bowl onto the whites.

    8 min
  5. Step 5: Add the 2 tbsp rosewater and ½ tsp ground cardamom and whisk on high for 8–10 minutes, until the mixture is thick, glossy, has lost most of its heat and pulls away from the bowl in heavy ribbons.

    10 min
  6. Step 6: Fold in the pistachios with an oiled spatula and press the nougat into the tin with oiled hands. Dust the top with more ½ oz cornflour or rice flour.

    3 min
  7. Step 7: Leave to set at room temperature for at least 6 hours or overnight, until firm and no longer tacky. Cut into small rounds or squares, toss in the rest of the ½ oz cornflour or rice flour and store in an airtight tin for up to 3 weeks.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
140 kcal
Protein
3 g
Carbs
25 g
Fat
4 g
Fibre
1 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does gaz take?
About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
What can I use instead of caster sugar?
Caster sugar, same amount.
What can I use instead of mild honey?
Maple syrup or golden syrup, same amount.

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