Cupeta (Campanian White Nougat)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Dessert Candy confections Vanilla: Extract Medium

A hard, pale honey-and-egg-white nougat packed with toasted nuts and broken into pieces. Our home version cooks the syrup to hard-crack on the stove rather than using a nougat kettle. Makes 24 pieces in about 4 hr 55 min.

Prep 30 min

Cook 25 min

Cooling 4 hr

Total 4 hr 55 min

Yield 24 pieces

Diet Gluten free

Ingredients

Adjust yield

pieces

14 tbsp (300 g)honey, mild honey
1 cup (200 g)granulated sugar
¼ cup (60 ml)water
1 (33 g)egg white, large, room temperature
1 tsp (5 ml)vanilla extract
¼ cup (30 g)powdered sugar, sifted
1 ¼ cups (150 g)whole almonds, toasted, warm
¾ cup (100 g)whole hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, warm
7 tbsp (50 g)shelled pistachios, warm
¼ oz (10 g)wafer paper, edible, to line the pan

Fresh ingredient guides

Baking tools for this recipe

Convert to grams Scale it Change the pan

Instructions

Line an 8 x 8 inch (20 cm) pan with wafer paper and keep a lightly oiled spatula and knife nearby. Keep the nuts warm in a 250 F (120 C) oven.
Beat the egg white in a large heatproof bowl to stiff peaks.
Cook the honey, sugar and water in a deep pot to 300 F (150 C), the hard-crack stage, on a candy thermometer. This takes about 15 minutes.
With the mixer running at medium speed, pour the hot syrup into the egg white in a thin stream down the side of the bowl. Keep beating 5 to 8 minutes, until the nougat is thick, glossy and holds its shape.
Beat in the vanilla and powdered sugar, then fold in the warm nuts with the oiled spatula, working fast before it stiffens.
Press the mass into the lined pan, level the top and cover with more wafer paper. Press down with a flat board.
Cool for 4 hours at room temperature until firm, then cut into rough pieces with an oiled heavy knife.

Tips

Warm nuts keep the nougat from seizing as you fold.
If the nougat is soft the next day, the syrup did not reach 300 F; cook the next batch fully.
Oil the knife between cuts.
Hot sugar syrup reaches 300 F (150 C) and causes severe burns; pour carefully. The egg white is cooked by the syrup, which is added hot and beaten in.

Made this?

Log it to keep your bakes, ratings and notes together in My Kitchen.

Be the first to share one.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make cupeta (campanian white nougat)?

Plan on 30 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking, plus 4 hours to chill. The recipe makes 24 pieces.

How should I store cupeta (campanian white nougat)?

Wrap pieces in waxed paper and store airtight in a cool, dry place for up to 3 weeks.

Can I make cupeta (campanian white nougat) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Cupeta, or copeta, is a white, compact honey nougat with hazelnuts, almonds and often pistachios, linked to the Benevento, Avellino and Salerno areas of Campania. Serve it with strong espresso or a sweet wine.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 24 servings this recipe makes.

152 Calories / serving

6.6g Fat

22.9g Carbs

2.6g Protein

20.5g Sugar

Whole recipe (24 servings): ~3648 cal · 158g fat · 550g carbs · 62g protein · 492g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.