Toasted Hazelnuts Recipes

TOASTED-HAZELNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. and grease a 9-inch springform pan.
• Rub hot toasted nuts in a kitchen towel to remove some of skins, then cool completely.
• Make cake:
• Pulse nuts, cake meal, and 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor until nuts are very finely chopped, being careful not to process to a paste.
• Beat yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and very thick. Stir in zest.
• Beat whites with salt in another bowl with cleaned beaters on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until whites just hold stiff, glossy peaks.
• In 3 batches, alternately fold nut mixture and whites into yolk mixture.
• Spoon batter into pan and smooth top.
• Bake cake in middle of oven until golden and a tester comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 3 minutes, then loosen edge with a knife and remove side of pan. Cool completely. (Cake will sink slightly in center.)
• Glaze cake:
• Invert cake onto a rack set over a shallow baking pan. Carefully loosen bottom of pan and remove. Pour warm glaze over cake, allowing it to drip down sides, and spread to coat evenly. Chill until glaze is set, about 5 minutes.

CANDIED HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan over high heat, swirling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer, and cook, swirling occasionally, until medium amber, about 4 minutes. Add hazelnuts and salt, and stir for 1 minute to coat.
• Pour mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a nonstick baking mat, and immediately separate nuts using 2 forks so that each stands alone on sheet. (You can also hold the pan at an angle and push each hazelnut onto sheet individually. If caramel thickens as you work, return to heat briefly.) Let cool. Break apart.

TOASTED HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the nuts out on a metal baking pan or a large sheet pan with ridges.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they are very hot and fragrant.
• Carefully dump nuts into a dish towel which you've spread across the counter - a ridged dish towel or one with some sort of embroidery works well because it provides more friction.
• Bring the ends of the dish towel up around the still-hot hazelnuts and wrap them up like a present.
• Using your hands, rub them between the towel and the work surface so that the friction created by the rubbing loosens the skin.
• Discard the skins and enjoy the toasted hazelnuts whole or crush them for your favorite recipe.