During Christmas holidays, there is nothing better than having a typical Christmas treat: Xixona nougat. Have you tried it?

It is typical of the Comunitat Valenciana, more specifically of Xixona, in Alicante province, where it has been elaborated for centuries. Xixona nougat has a Denomination of Origin and is a traditional product of the Valencian land.

Soft with a characteristic golden colour, which makes it creamy on the palate. An authentic delight perfect for Christmas or any other time of the year. Also, Xixona nougat is highly nutritious, an energetic food rich in carbohydrates, vegetable fats, proteins, calcium, and fibre.

Would you like to know how to prepare homemade Xixona nougat?

Here is the recipe, so you can make it at home and enjoy nougat as a family. Nougat is a sweet obtained by cooking honey, peeled crushed almonds, and egg white, later shaped as a rectangular bar.

The soft texture of the traditional Xixona nougat is obtained by crushing the almond which loses part of its oils before softening the dough so that it is homogeneous, until acquiring its characteristic golden colour and soft texture.

To prepare the Xixona nougat, we will need the following ingredients:

250 g of toasted almonds, unsalted and ground
150 g of sugar
75 g of honey
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
Lemon zest
1 egg white

How to prepare Xixona nougat:

Once we have all the ingredients ready, we start its preparation:

First, lightly toast the almonds in a pan and then grind them. Place the raw almonds on a baking tray and toast them for about five minutes in the oven hot at 180 degrees. When almonds begin to toast, take them out and let them cool.

Place the roasted almonds in a blender. Do not crush them too much because otherwise, they will begin to release their oils. It is preferable to find some larger pieces of almond. Place them aside.

In a saucepan or similar container place the honey and sugar and mix well. Then, heat the mixture to dissolve the sugar and let caramelise.

Once slightly tempered, separate from the fire, add the egg white and mix well.

Add the ground almond to the mixture, the lemon zest and half teaspoon of cinnamon. Mix everything well; the result will be the typical soft dough of Xixona nougat.

Next, mould the mixture into an oiled container, so it does not stick.

Press the mixture with your hands to release any bubbles and smooth the surface.

Then, put the Xixona nougat in the fridge for a few hours, so it hardens slightly.

Your homemade Xixona nougat is ready! Do you dare to try it this Christmas?