German Nougat (Nuss-Nougat Rohmasse)
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Nuss-Nougat Rohmasse is a popular German ingredient used as a filling for baking and confections. Featuring hazelnuts, chocolate and sugar, this German nougat recipe is easy to make and within minutes of prep time you’ll have a phenomenal homemade version of that hard-to-find ingredient that’s so intrinsic in many of your favorite German goodies!
What is German Nougat?
I frequently get emails from readers asking me where they can find the nougat they were accustomed to buying in Germany and if I please have a recipe for it. What is nougat, specifically nuss-nougat rohmasse as it’s called in Germany?
Translated literally as “nut nougat raw mass”, German nougat is an ingredient used as a filling in German baking and confections. It’s made from roasted hazelnuts, dark chocolate, sugar, and either cocoa butter (ideally) or regular butter. The texture is firm but malleable so that it can be flattened, rolled, or shaped as needed.
Similar to German nut nougat is French noisette, though that is technically chocolate with tiny bits of roasted hazelnut. More similar to German nougat is Italian gianduja, though the German version is typically firmer. And what do you get if you make a thinner, more fluid version of this German hazelnut nougat? That’s called Nutella!
How Do You Use German Nougat?
Nougat is commonly used as a filling in cookies, chocolates, cakes, tarts, croissants, and “hörnchen”; as a fondant or glaze on cakes or incorporated into the frosting; as a filling in marzipan chocolates and chocolate-covered marzipan logs. And if you’re familar with Mozartkugeln then you’re already familiar with nougat: Nougat is chocolate-hazelnut layer at the very center of the Mozartkugel. You know, that marvelous stuff you can’t wait to taste once you’ve bitten into the ball! Check out my recipe for homemade Mozartkugeln.
To be clear, this nougat isn’t a self-standing candy, it’s an ingredient to be used in things. But if you’d rather snack on it plain or grab the bowl and have at it with a spoon I won’t think the less of you. Because the truth is I “might” have done that myself a time or two.
Unlike ganache, German nut nougat is lighter brown in color, it’s thicker, firmer, and features the irresistibly delicious flavor of roasted hazelnuts.
German Nougat Recipe
Let’s get started!
A vital key for achieving the best-tasting nougat is to get the best hazelnuts you can find. Unfortunately many brands of hazelnuts come already partially rancid. Or they’re old to the point of having lost a lot of their natural oils. Even different batches from the same brand can vary in quality. So far I’ve had good luck with these hazelnuts on Amazon.
First we’re going to roast the hazelnuts. This is critical for the flavor of the nougat.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the hazelnuts in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Roast until they’re golden, about 8-10 minutes. (Be careful not to over-roast or they will be bitter). If they have skins on them, place them in a clean dish towel and rub them against each other to remove the skins.
Place nuts in a food processor with the sugar and then pulse to grind the nuts.
Continue to blend until the mixture comes together in a mass (resembling very thick peanut butter), about 5 minutes.
Add the melted cocoa butter or butter and blend until combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
Melt the bittersweet chocolate. I do it in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, more frequently towards the end.
Add the melted chocolate and then pulse until the mixture is combined and smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
Scrape the mixture into a bowl, then cover and refrigerate until it is firm. At this point you can shape it into a log, wrap and store it in the fridge or just leave it in the bowl and scoop out as needed.
Let the nougat come to room temp before using so it will be softer and malleable.
Made with cocoa butter it will keep for several weeks in the fridge. Made with butter it will keep for a couple of weeks.
Enjoy!
Be sure to also try my homemade Marzipan!
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German Nougat (Nuss-Nougat Rohmasse)
Ingredients
- 7 oz (200g) whole hazelnuts (use skinless, otherwise remove the skins after roasting them)
- 7 oz (200g) powdered/confectioner's sugar
- 3 tablespoons (41g) unsalted butter , melted
- 7 oz (200g) bittersweet chocolate wafers or chips (minimum 60% cacao) , melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the hazelnuts in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Roast until they're golden, about 7-10 minutes. (Be careful not to over-roast or they will be bitter). If they have skins on them, place them in a clean dish towel and rub them against each other to remove the skins.
- Place nuts in a food process with the sugar and blend until the mixture comes together in a mass (resembling very thick peanut butter), about 5 minutes. Add the melted cocoa butter or butter and blend until combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the melted chocolate and pulse until the mixture is combined and smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Scrape the mixture into a bowl, then cover and refrigerate until it is firm. At this point you can shape it into a log, wrap and store it in the fridge or just leave it in the bowl and scoop out as needed. Made with cocoa butter it will keep for several weeks in the fridge. Made with butter it will keep for a couple of weeks.Let the nougat come to room temp before using so it will be softer and malleable. Makes about 20 ounces or 570 grams of nuss-nougat rohmasse.
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
Hello Kimberly,
i would like to make homemade duplo chocolate bars. For this purpose I sought to buy the required nut-nougat masse here in NZ, but cannot find any. Coming across your website on which you explain how to make it myself is awesome. Thank you so much.
Reading through your recipe I came across your instruction to add some ‘pulse’ next to the other ingredient. I am unsure what you mean by pulse. Could you explain please? Thanks.
Hi Hannah! I looked up what you’re referring to: “Place nuts in a food processor with the sugar and pulse to grind the nuts.” “Pulse” is a feature on a food processor that grinds the ingredient in short spurts, so the term “pulse” here is a verb, not an ingredient. But in looking at those instructions I can totally understand how that could be confusing – it makes it sound like you’re supposed to add beans to it, haha! :)
Hello Kimberly!
Great to find this recipe. Nussnougat is impossible ton find in Quebec.
Could you tell me that recipe produces how many gramms of Nussnougat please?
Nicole
Hi, this makes roughly 570 grams of Nussnougat.
Hi Kimberley, I was unable to find raw hazelnuts, I did find some roasted unsalted ones. I wondering if they will even have any moisture in them to get to the paste stage with the sugar. If they don’t would using the butter work? I am planning on making Mozartkugeln and everything is ready except this.
Hi Daisy, yes that’s fine because you would have roasted the raw hazelnuts anyway. (Roasting them from raw just gives them a more vibrant flavor than buying them already roasted.) So just skip the step about roasting and proceed as written. If you find the mixture is too dry then yes, you can add a little more butter.
Hi Kimberly,
I posted recently in your Mozartkugel recipe. I’m trying to make it tonight and have made ther Marzipan and Pistachio Marzipan. Both are working great. The German Nougat is another story though. I’ve followed your recipe excatly and the nougat firms up nicely in the fridge but when I bring it to room temperature to mold for the mozartkugel the nougat is very soft and turns mushy when trying to mold. Any ideas? I’ve weighed everything as per your recipe. Maybe add more hazelnuts? Less chocolate? Thanks, Adam
Hi Adam, I’m happy to hear the two marzipans worked out great. For the nougat, there could be a couple of factors like the kind of chocolate you’re using and definitely the ambient temperature of the room you’re working in. I’d recommend removing only part of the nougat from the fridge at a time, molding the nougat as soon as it’s workable (before it gets too warm) and then working quickly. If the nougat gets too soft you’ll need to put it back in the fridge to firm up and then continue. Depending on the particular chocolate you’re using, it’s cocoa butter content, etc, for the next batch if you’re using the same chocolate I would just cut back on the butter, maybe by a tablespoon or so. Good luck and let us know how the finished Mozartkugeln turn out!
What if the skin is left on the hazelnuts?
Hi Ingrid, the texture won’t be as smooth, it will be a little gritty.
Hi Kimberly,
I lived for many years in Bavaria (my kids were all born there) and had thought that, back in Canada, Nussnougat was beyond my reach (at least until we went on holidays).
Thank you so much!
You’re very welcome, Anne, I’m so happy you found my recipe! <3
Hello Kimberly,
Initially I was searching for a good Marzipan recipe when I came across your website.
WOW! I am thrilled that in addition to Marzipan, I also found a recipe for Mozartkugeln. I never thought of making my own nougat but reading your instructions, it looks easy enough to try.
I also grew up in Germany and having Nougat Plaetzchen for Christmas is a MUST. Dankeschoen!
Hi Andrea! Nougat is good on practically everything :) Nougat Plätzchen indeed! I’m so glad you found my site and I hope you enjoy the recipes <3 Kind regards, Kimberly
This is exactly what I was looking for.