Nougatine

Nougatine is made of caramelized sugar and sliced or chopped almonds. Popularized in the 1800s, it has many uses in the pastry shop. It can be served as a candy, cut into small bars and left plain or dipped in chocolate; it can be crushed and added to ice creams or fillings; it can be made into shells for individual dessert presentations; and it can be molded and cut into various shapes to create tall, elaborate, spectacular showpieces known as pièces montées. These last are used to