Hazelnut Recipes

These two hazelnut recipes are perfect with my home harvested hazelnuts. And they are the reason why I take the time to pick them!

GERMAN HAZELNUT CAKE

preheat oven to 325 degrees

• 6 egg yolks
• 1 C. sugar
• 1/2 lb. ground hazelnuts
• 6 egg whites
• whipped cream

Mix together the egg yolks and sugar. Blend in the ground hazelnuts.

Beat the egg whites separately until stiff. Gently fold into egg yolks,sugar and hazelnut mixture.

Line the bottom of a 10 inch spring form pan with waxed paper and pour batter in.

Bake at 325 for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool. Remove from pan.

Spread a thin layer of whipped cream on top of the cake, then create high mounds around outside edge.

Serve.

Hazelnuts are delicious eaten right out of the shell. They have a sweet taste and a creamy texture. But they really shine when they are roasted. The flavor then turns smokey and robust and the texture is crisp and crunchy.

To slow roast hazelnuts, spread shelled nuts in a shallow baking pan and roast at 275 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, until the skins crack and the meat turns light golden.

Hazelnuts may also be roasted at higher temperatures. At 350 degrees, they will roast in only 8 to 10 minutes, but watch them closely as they can go from toasted to scorched in a very short time at this temperature.

If using a microwave, roast nuts at full power for 3 to 4 minutes.

To remove the skins after roasting the nuts by any of the above methods pour the hot nuts in the center of a rough kitchen terry towel. Pull the towel up around the nuts and twist tightly, making a hobo pack.

Let stand to steam for about 5 minutes. Vigorously rub the warm nuts in the towel until most of the skins are removed.

Don’t be concerned if some of the skins tenaciously cling to the nut. This is their nature and the mix of light and dark colors give hazelnuts a distinctive look.