Hojicha Nougat Chewy Green Tea Candy (Printable)

Chewy nougat infused with roasted hojicha green tea, honey, and toasted nuts for an elegant Japanese-inspired treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Nuts

01 - 3.5 oz roasted almonds, roughly chopped
02 - 1.75 oz roasted pistachios, roughly chopped

→ Nougat Base

03 - 4.2 oz honey
04 - 7 oz granulated sugar
05 - 2.7 fl oz water
06 - 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

→ Egg White Mixture

07 - 2 large egg whites, room temperature
08 - 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

→ Flavor

09 - 2 tbsp hojicha powder
10 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
11 - 1 oz unsalted butter, softened

→ Optional

12 - Edible wafer paper for lining

# Directions:

01 - Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper or edible wafer paper
02 - In a dry skillet over medium heat, lightly toast almonds and pistachios for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, then set aside
03 - Combine honey, sugar, water, and salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup reaches 284°F on a candy thermometer
04 - Beat egg whites with cream of tartar in a stand mixer until soft peaks form
05 - Reduce mixer speed to low and carefully pour hot syrup in a thin stream into egg whites. Increase speed to high and beat for 5 minutes until glossy and thick
06 - Add hojicha powder and vanilla extract to the mixture, beating just until combined
07 - Fold in softened butter, then gently mix in toasted nuts until evenly distributed
08 - Quickly spread the nougat mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Top with another sheet of wafer paper if desired
09 - Let set at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Once firm, remove from pan and cut into bite-sized pieces with a sharp, lightly oiled knife
10 - Wrap individually in parchment or cellophane to prevent sticking

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes sophisticated and tastes like you spent hours on it, but the actual hands-on time is surprisingly manageable.
  • Hojicha powder is becoming easier to find, and once you have it, you'll find yourself adding it to everything from hot chocolate to butter cookies.
  • This is naturally gluten-free and vegetarian, so you can give it to almost anyone without the usual apologetic disclaimers.
02 -
  • The syrup temperature is critical; if it doesn't reach 140°C, your nougat will be too soft and sticky, but if you go even 2 degrees over, it becomes hard and brittle.
  • Room temperature egg whites are absolutely essential because cold ones won't whip properly and warm ones will cook slightly when the hot syrup hits, giving you a grainy texture instead of smooth and chewy.
03 -
  • If your nougat comes out too soft, you likely didn't hit the right temperature on the syrup; next time, use a reliable thermometer and don't skip the boiling step.
  • The secret to preventing that stickiness is to oil your knife between cuts and wrap each piece as soon as it's cool enough to handle, because nougat that sits unwrapped will absorb moisture from the air.
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