Nougat from Tours A delicious Touraine pastry speciality

Discover Tours nougat, a unique pastry that reinvents the art of dessert with its delicate shortbread pastry, apricot jam and candied fruit. Savour this emblematic Touraine speciality, inherited from the Renaissance, whose almond macaroonade and gourmet flavours will transport you on an unforgettable taste journey.

What is the history of Tours nougat?

Genuine Tours nougat first appeared during the Renaissance, when Leonardo da Vinci was staying at the Clos Lucé in Amboise. A great lover of almonds and candied fruit, he is said to have inspired this unique creation, combining sweet pastry and delicate macaronade. Somewhat forgotten in the 1960s, this travel cake is now back in the limelight thanks to Charles Barrier, a Michelin-starred chef from Tours. His passion revived this ancestral recipe, culminating in the creation of the Confrérie du nougat in 1998. Since then, this institution has watched over the authenticity of this emblematic dessert, where the sweetness of egg whites blends with the flavours of candied fruit.

The authentic recipe...

Preparing the sweet pastry: mix the butter, 35g icing sugar, egg and a pinch of salt, add the flour and a little water if necessary. Form into a ball and place in the fridge. The macaronade: mix caster sugar and almond powder in a bowl. Beat the egg whites until stiff and very gently fold in the mixture. Making the cake: take a mould, or a circle (diam. 18cm), put the prepared sweet pastry in it, and place a thin layer of apricot jam followed by the candied fruit. Pour the macaronade over the top. Sprinkle with icing sugar (2 times at 15mn intervals before baking). Cooking: to finish the recipe, bake in the oven at a temperature of 180°C for 30 minutes.

and ingredients

For 6 people:

140g flour
80g caster sugar
70g butter
1 egg
150g candied fruit (melon-papaya), diced
50g apricot jam
80g almond powder
100g egg white
icing sugar
sel

@tourainevaldeloire The #nougat of #tours a #specialite local for centuries 🥧#gourmandise #produitduterroir #patisserie #gateau #valdeloire #tiktokfood #recette #leonarddevinci ♬ Food – Densky9

An iconic travel cake

Put this treasure of Touraine pastry-making in your basket! Its unique texture and exceptional conservation make it the perfect companion for your escapades. Bite into its golden crust to discover a soft centre where almond macaroonade converses with candied fruit.

At home or away, enjoy it with a smooth custard or red fruit coulis. Its robustness means it retains all its flavour for over a week, without losing any of its authentic character. A delicious way to extend your stay in Touraine, even away from home!

The Tours Nougat Brotherhood

Recognisable by their blue dress coats adorned with ribbons in the colours of Touraine, members of the Confrérie have been travelling the region since 1998 to promote this unique speciality. Every year, their grand chapter brings together nearly 200 enthusiasts in the lounges of Tours Town Hall.

These guardians of tradition organise the prestigious concours du meilleur nougat, where professionals and apprentices compete in creativity while respecting the authentic recipe. With its 700 Knights and Officiers, the Confrérie watches over this gourmet heritage by awarding its precious label to the artisans who perpetuate the excellence of this Touraine pastry.

Find out more about the Brotherhood

Your gourmet getaway in Touraine

Discover more by exploring our pages dedicated to gastronomy and get ready for a unique culinary journey.

Where can you taste the best nougat in Tours?

See for yourself the passionate craftsmen who keep this gourmet tradition alive. The Valter et Flora bakery in Civray-de-Touraine offers you its gold medal-winning version, while L’Arrivage, in the heart of Tours, sublimates this speciality with its contemporary touch.

Don’t miss the La Parisienne bakery in Loches, where ancestral know-how is passed down from generation to generation. These Confrérie-labelled addresses guarantee the authenticity of a recipe that is the pride of Touraine’s craftsmen.

Enjoy your slice on the spot, in the warm atmosphere of these artisanal shops, or take this delicacy away for a gourmet break on the banks of the Loire.