Identikit
The Piedmont nougat is a more or less thick, white parallelepiped, sprinkled with hazelnuts, covered by a thin wafer. Its texture can be hard or soft. The dough is made with honey (acacia or millefiori type), sugar, glucose and hazelnuts. Generally the hazelnut used belong to the Gentle Round Hazlnut category.
Area of production
It is produced in the areas between Alba and the Langhe, even if it is produced also in the Asti province.
History
The tradition to mix almonds and honey dates to the Roman Empire. The name of the nougat reminds the medieval habit of the bakers to create with this mixture castle and tower-like sweets. This recipe has been brough in Piedmont by the Visconti, lord of Milan, but the almonds have been substituted with hazelnuts, less expensive because of the numerous cultivations of the territory.
