PREP: 1 hour COOK: 35 minutes MAKES: 24 pieces
Butter
Cornstarch
1½ cups sugar
1 cup light-color corn syrup
½ cup water
2 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
1½ tsp. lemon zest
¾ cup chopped pistachio nuts
Nonstick cooking spray
Powdered sugar
1. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with foil, extending foil over the edges of the pan. Butter foil; sprinkle with a small amount of cornstarch.
2. In a heavy 2-qt. saucepan add sugar, corn syrup, and the water. Stir once just to moisten the sugar. Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Place over medium heat and bring to boiling without stirring. Continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate until thermometer registers 295°F, hard-crack stage (35 to 40 minutes). Adjust heat as necessary to maintain a steady boil.
3. Remove saucepan from heat. Remove thermometer. In a large bowl* beat egg whites with a mixer on medium until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Gradually pour hot mixture in a thin stream over egg whites, beating on medium to high. (Add mixture slowly without stopping to ensure proper blending; do not scrape bowl.)
4. Add vanilla. Continue beating on high until candy becomes very thick and less glossy (5 to 6 minutes). When beaters are lifted, mixture should fall in a ribbon, mound on itself, then slowly disappear into the remaining mixture.
5. Immediately stir in lemon zest and pistachio nuts. Coat a rubber spatula with cooking spray. Use the spatula to quickly spoon nougat mixture into the prepared pan. When nougat is firm, use foil to lift it out of pan. Place on a cutting board. Coat a knife with cooking spray. Cut into 2½×¾-inch pieces. Lightly coat pieces with powdered sugar. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap.
*Test Kitchen Tip: If using a hand mixer, use a bowl with a rubberized bottom or place a damp kitchen towel or paper towel under your mixing bowl to keep it in place so your hands are free to beat the egg white mixture and drizzle in the candy mixture at the same time.
To Store: Place wrapped nougat pieces in an airtight container and store at room temperature up to 2 weeks.
PER PIECE: 121 cal., 2 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 1 mg chol., 18 mg sodium, 26 g carb., 0 g fiber, 1 g pro.