Nougat might not sound very Middle Eastern, but the origin of nougat, in fact, is. In the Middle East, nougat goes by many names including Mann o Salwa, man ol salwa, Mann al sama, and Man o Salwa. These heavenly sweets are usually served with Turkish Coffee.
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The earliest nougat recipe was found in a Middle Eastern book in Baghdad, dating back to the 10th century. It was referred to as "natif" which translates to "dribble."
The name I'm more familiar with is "Mann al Sama," which is an Arabic term meaning "manna from heaven." They are often enjoyed by Assyrians to break their 3-day Jonah fast. If you're interested in more information on this topic, check out my latest Johan Fast (Pookhin recipe) post!
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Mann al sama is really tasty and relatively easy to prepare.
- This recipe has variations so that you can make it the traditional way too.
- Mann al sama isn't always easy to find and usually costs a lot more than the ingredients required to make it. I recommend making it at home yourself and saving some money along the way!
🛒 What You Need For This Recipe
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Nuts: I used one cup of pistachios, but you can use almonds or a combination of the two.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar
- Corn Syrup: Light corn syrup
- Cardamom: Unlike Torrone (Italian nougat), the Middle Eastern version is flavored with cardamom which gives it its unique flavor.
- Flavoring: Another thing that sets this recipe apart is the addition of rose water. If you don't have rose water, you can substitute vanilla extract.
*A full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
🌰 How to Make Mann al Sama
Before you begin, have all your ingredients measured and ready. This includes the required tools: a prepared pan, an egg separator, oiled spatulas, a bowl scraper, a mixer, and a candy thermometer.
Step 1: Spray an 8" x 8" dish with non-stick cooking spray and dust with flour. Toast pistachios in a hot skillet.
Step 2: Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat; stir until sugar dissolves. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan. Boil the mixture until it reaches 250° F or the "softball" stage.
Step 3: Meanwhile, separate eggs, then beat egg whites in a stand mixer, on high, with a whisk attachment. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. With the mixer running, slowly add approximately half of the 250°F syrup to the egg whites. Mix on high until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Step 4: Boil the remaining syrup until it reaches 290°F or the "hard crack" stage. With the mixer still running, drizzle the remaining syrup into the eggs, in a thin stream.
Step 5: Add cardamom, butter, and rose water. Mix for a few additional minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fold in pistachios using a rubber spatula.
Step 6: Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, using an oiled spatula. Allow to cool off before refrigerating. After a few hours, coax the nougat out of the dish and onto a cutting board. Using a large, sharp knife, cut nougat bars into desired portions.
Pro Tip: Wrap nougat bars individually in Saran wrap to keep them from sticking together.
How to Make Iraqi Mann al Aama
I don't know if you're nostalgic like I am, but if so, you may want to prepare the Mann o salwa like the one prepared in Iraq. Traditional nougat is shaped into golf-sized balls, with the nut-filling sealed inside, instead of being mixed throughout the nougat.
After step 4 above do the following:
- Grind the toasted pistachios in a food processor. Add cardamom and mix to combine.
- After pouring the nougat into the prepared pan, cool it on the counter for five minutes, so that it's easy to handle. Pinch a small portion of the nougat and roll it into a ball, then flatten it into a bowl shape.
- Fill the bowl with pistachios, seal, and roll into a ball. Place the Mann al Sama on a floured tray, and continue with this process, until you've used up the entire mixture.
Pro Tip: Handling the nougat before it's cooled off can get messy. If the filling comes out, don't panic. Just roll it into a ball, like the one in this picture. It will taste just as good as the rest, I promise!
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Unlike plain nougat, Iraqi nougat has either cardamom, rose water, or both added. Another difference is the texture. Whereas nougat is usually soft and chewy, Iraqi nougat is crunchier.
The Mann Al Sama I remember eating as a child was shaped into small balls or patties. Also, the nut-filling was in the center, like a surprise waiting to be discovered. Nougat, on the other hand, has the nuts mixed throughout.
Traditionally, Man Al Sama was made from a sticky sap found on leaves lying on the ground, under tamarisk trees. It was thought that the sap rained down from heaven, much like manna. This "dew" tasted as sweet as "honey!"
Leave it to the ingenuity of Iraqi women, who removed the dirt and debris from the sap, then boiled and strained it. The sap was then mixed with nuts, and spices, including cardamom, and enjoyed as a sweet treat. Cardamom makes everything better, am I right?
These days, we can make these similar-tasting nougat bars with ingredients more readily available, like the ones found in this recipe.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- In this recipe, the texture is achieved by cooking the syrup to 290 degrees F. or the "hard crack" stage. If you prefer softer nougat, don't allow the syrup to cook past 270 degrees F.
- If, in spite of following the directions, the nougat still turns out harder than you prefer, microwave individual portions for approximately 15 seconds before eating.
- If you prefer the Mann al sama a little crunchier, be patient, they will get crunchier as they get exposed to the air. You can also refrigerate them if you are low on patience.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
🍽 More Middle Eastern Recipes
If you enjoy this Mann al Sama recipe, be sure to check out these other Middle Eastern recipes!
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Before you begin, have all your ingredients measured and ready. This includes the required tools: a prepared pan, an egg separator, oiled spatulas, a bowl scraper, a mixer, and a candy thermometer.
- Spray an 8" x 8" dish with non-stick cooking spray and dust with flour. Toast pistachios in a hot skillet.
- Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat; stir until sugar dissolves. Attach a candy thermometer on the side of the saucepan. Boil the mixture until it reaches 250° F or the "softball" stage.
- Meanwhile, separate eggs, then beat egg whites in a stand mixer, on high, with a whisk attachment. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. With the mixer running, slowly add approximately half of the 250°F syrup to the egg whites. Mix on high until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Boil the remaining syrup until it reaches 290°F or the "hard crack" stage. With the mixer still running, drizzle the remaining syrup into the eggs, in a thin stream.
- Add cardamom, butter, and rose water. Mix for a few additional minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fold in pistachios using a rubber spatula.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, using an oiled spatula. Allow to cool off before refrigerating. After a few hours, coax the nougat out of the dish and onto a cutting board. Using a large, sharp knife, cut nougat bars into desired portions.
- Wrap nougat bars individually in Saran wrap to keep them from sticking together.
Nutrition
Notes
- In this recipe, the texture is achieved by cooking the syrup to 290 degrees F. or the "hard crack" stage. If you prefer softer nougat, don't allow the syrup to cook past 270 degrees F.
- If, in spite of following the directions, the nougat still turns out harder than you prefer, microwave individual portions for approximately 15 seconds before eating.
- If you prefer the Mann Al Sama a little crunchier, be patient, they will get crunchier as they get exposed to the air. You can also refrigerate them if you are low on patience.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Kathy Fisher says
After reading Hilda's post about the Nineveh Fast it stirred up a craving for nougat. Maybe I'll get a friend to make it for me. I'm not so great making candy using a thermometer. I can only imagine how wonderful it would be with the cardamom. YUM.
Hilda Sterner says
I love nougat and will make some when I get back from vacation!
Cindy says
I bought some of these yummy candies at a Mediterranean Bakery and they had apricot paste on either side. I just loved them, but they are an expensive habit, so I searched online for a recipe & found yours. I used apricot paste sheets on the bottom and top of the 8x8 pan, with the nougat in between. They are even better than those I bought! Thank you so much for posting your recipe. I will be making these for myself and as a unique gift to others.
Hilda Sterner says
Wow, Cindy, I've never heard of them mixing the two, but it does sound delicious. By the way, I also have a recipe for the apricot sheets you mentioned, if you want to make those from scratch too... here's the recipe: https://hildaskitchenblog.com/recipe/homemade-fruit-leather-qamardeen/
Cindy Boyett says
Thank you! I'll give it a try.
Aleksandra says
Amazing recipe and interesting explanation about its links to the Assyrians. God bless you!
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you so much, God bless you too!
Wylet says
Like your explanation and enjoyed reading it
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, Wylet, God bless!
Rita says
Such precise and interesting information. I really enjoyed the facts and the presentation of this article. You are a food artist for sure Hilda.
HildaSterner says
Thanks, Rita, I appreciate your kind words!