Soft Neapolitan Nougat with Nutella
The soft Neapolitan nougat is a special creamy nougat made with chocolate and whole hazelnuts that in Naples is usually prepared for the commemoration of the dead on November 2nd, and is indeed called Neapolitan nougat of the dead and, traditionally, it is consumed with family on All Saints’ Day, at the end of the meal.
The nougat is a symbol and represents a tribute to the dead: a way to “cheer” the journey to the afterlife. Tradition has it that in a distant time, children brought this nougat to the dead as a gift, which explains its name.
Nevertheless, my Nutella version of the soft Neapolitan nougat is so good that we always prepare it at times like Christmas or Carnival because it is highly requested by family and friends, it’s a truly irresistible and easy-to-make dessert. Gluten-free recipe.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 3 Minutes
- Portions: 10 people
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Campania
- Seasonality: All Souls' Day, Autumn, Winter
Ingredients for Soft Neapolitan Nougat with Nutella
- 16 oz 70% dark chocolate (quality)
- 16 oz milk chocolate (quality)
- 14 oz Nutella®
- 10 oz hazelnuts (shelled, whole and toasted)
Tools
- Bowls Guzzini set of bowls in various sizes
- Saucepan for double boiling
- 2 Brushes silicone, BPA-free
- Pot
- Loaf Pan non-stick, 12 x 4.5 x 2.75 inches
Steps for Soft Neapolitan Nougat with Nutella
I used a standard non-stick loaf pan with a 1-liter capacity and had no trouble demolding the nougat (see Purchase Tips below). However, special transparent polycarbonate molds for nougat are available in the market (a bit hard to find) or you can also use a silicone loaf pan.
I bought the hazelnuts already toasted (see Purchase Tips below), but you can roast them yourself for 1 minute in a pan.
Take a saucepan suitable for double boiling, fill the base with water and place 200g of dark chocolate in the upper saucepan (which MUST NOT touch the water in the lower saucepan and MUST NOT boil) melt the dark chocolate over low heat (it will take about 1-2 minutes), and as soon as it is melted, pour it into the chosen nougat mold, using a brush and covering well the sides and empty spaces.
Then, always melt in a double boiler: the remaining 250g of dark chocolate together with 450g of milk chocolate, when they are melted, remove the pot from the heat and immediately pour 400g of Nutella and the whole toasted hazelnuts into the melted chocolate and mix well.
Finally, when it is warm, pour the mixture of chocolate, hazelnuts, and Nutella into the chocolate-coated mold (cooled for 1 hour in the fridge) and level the surface.
Place the mold back in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
After the indicated time, gently pass a smooth spatula around the edges of the mold to facilitate removal and then turn it over onto a serving plate. Serve sliced.
Notes and Tips
The soft Neapolitan nougat, in winter, can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week, away from heat sources. You can also freeze it, already portioned into slices (or small chunks) in bags or food-grade plastic containers.
I want to specify that, unlike other recipes found on the web, which pour the covering dark chocolate in two times, I pour it all at once, because I don’t like the nougat’s dark chocolate covering to be too thick and high. As you can see in the photos below, my dark chocolate covering is thin and just right.
Furthermore, I do not cover the base with dark chocolate, I find it just an unnecessary waste of time.
Purchase Tips!!!
To melt the chocolate in a double boiler, I use the dedicated double boiler pot, convenient and practical.
For the nougat, I used this high-quality carbon non-stick loaf pan. I had no issues demolding the nougat.
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