Hazelnuts have a great taste and many uses. We have a lot of interesting information for you!

Hazelnuts are very popular and people often eat them alone or in various dishes.

Do you know how to store them properly?

What vitamins do they contain?

Or how to peel them easily?

All this and much more in our article!

Hazelnut, goodness full of antioxidants

Hazelnut is the fruit of the hazel tree, a tree from the birch family. It grows in a protective husk and when it ripens, it falls from this husk to the ground, where it is then harvested. It is mostly grown in Turkey, Italy, Spain and the United States. It has a sweet taste and can be eaten raw, roasted or ground into a paste.

Health benefits of eating hazelnuts

Eating hazelnuts has many health benefits, such as:

• They are a rich source of vitamins and minerals , such as vitamin E, manganese and copper. In addition, they have a high content of omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids .
• They contain phenolic compounds that have been shown to increase antioxidant protection in the body . It is best to eat hazelnuts whole and unroasted to get the highest concentration of antioxidants.
• They increase oxidative capacity and lower blood lipid levels, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease . They also help normalize blood pressure.
• The high concentration of antioxidant compounds, vitamin E and manganese in hazelnuts helps reduce the risk of certain types of cancer .
• They help prevent and reduce inflammation thanks to their high concentrations of healthy fats.
• They contain several compounds that lower blood sugar .

Nutrient values of hazelnut

In the following table, see a comparison of the nutritional values of selected types of nuts.

Vitamins and minerals in hazelnut

Also look at the amount of minerals and vitamins that 100 grams of selected types of nuts contain.

How to choose good nuts and how to store them?

Hazelnuts look good in the shell, but they go rancid faster. Nuts last longer in an airtight container. Check the freshness of hazelnuts by taking a nut and shaking it. If it rattles inside the shell, it means that the nut is either old or stale. The shells should also be free of cracks and holes. And last but not least, nuts should smell fresh and nutty. If they smell, this may be a sign that they have gone rancid. You can find pre-shelled or ground hazelnuts in most grocery stores, saving you time in the kitchen.

Store unopened packages of hazelnuts in a cool, dry place – they will last up to 3 months. Once opened, they should be stored in an airtight container. Unshelled hazelnuts rarely last more than a month at room temperature. Once peeled, they should be eaten as soon as possible. Store hazelnut oil in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

How to use hazelnut in the kitchen?

Hazelnuts are sweet and delicate, and although they are most often used in desserts, they are very versatile. You can enjoy them raw, roasted, whole, sliced or ground.

• Use them chopped in desserts such as various buns, cakes, truffles, cookies and macaroons.
• Try hazelnuts in savory dishes , especially traditional Italian dishes like pasta, ravioli and pesto. Chopped hazelnuts are also common in salads and to coat fish or poultry.
• Hazelnut flavoring is one of the most popular flavors in coffee creamers and is also used to make a hazelnut liqueur that can be mixed into cocktails.
• Add them to some Christmas cookie recipes .
• Hazelnuts can be pressed to make an oil that you can use instead of canola or olive oil.
• They can be ground into flour , which is used as a gluten-free alternative to wheat flour.
• Make butter from them, which is a great alternative to peanut butter.
• Eat them alone as a healthy snack either raw or dry roasted.
• Cover them in chocolate or season them with cinnamon or cayenne pepper.
• Add them to muesli .

How to peel hazelnuts?

1. Simply open the nut with a nutcracker.
2. Then place them on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake in the oven at 190 degrees Celsius for about 10 minutes, which will make the skins peel off easily.
3. Transfer the warm nuts to a clean kitchen towel and roll them up.
4. Rub the walnuts in a tea towel between your palms until most of the skins come off.
5. If you are unable to remove the skins, roast the nuts for a few more minutes until they are slightly darker.
6. Alternatively, you can muddle the nuts in a coarse sieve or colander set over a bowl to break off the skins.

Homemade nutella recipe

As a bonus, we have a recipe for your own nutella. It’s incredibly easy! You only need 7 ingredients and a blender or food processor!

So what ingredients will you need?

• 230 g of hazelnuts
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 tablespoons of rapeseed or coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ¼ cup chopped chocolate (optional)

And how to do that?

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius.
2. Line a tray with baking paper and place the hazelnuts on it.
3. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Check them after 10 minutes to make sure they aren’t browning too quickly.
5. Remove from the oven and transfer to a clean kitchen towel.
6. Leave to cool.
7. After cooling, gently rub the nuts with a towel until the skins come off.
8. Place the nuts in a food processor and blend until finely ground.
9. Scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl as needed.
10. Process the nuts until they begin to liquefy.
11. This may take about 5 minutes.
12. Stop the food processor as needed to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add powdered sugar and cocoa.
13. Mix until everything is well combined.
14. Add oil and vanilla while mixing.
15. Process until smooth.
16. Add salt and blend for 5 seconds.
17. You can add more chocolate and process until everything is well combined.
18. If the mixture clumps, you may need to add more oil.
19. Scrape Nutella into a clean glass.
20. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
21. If you are using coconut oil, you may need to let the nutella sit on the counter to soften before using.

Growing hazelnuts

Hazelnuts are very hardy and can survive in climates prone to drought or cold temperatures (even without full sun), and as such are widespread in North America (especially Oregon), Europe and Asia. The three largest exporters of hazelnuts are Turkey, Italy and the United States.

In our country, hazels grow wild, especially on the edges of forests. You can also grow it in the garden. There are many varieties and their fruits vary in both size and shape. Popular varieties include in particular:

• Hall’s hazel – ripens at the turn of September and October and has beautiful large fruits
• Lombardy white hazel – it comes from very old varieties and its fruits are oblong, egg-shaped
• Webb’s hazel – its fruits are larger