Hazelnuts Recipes

The word ‘hazelnut’ refers to the nut of the hazel. Hazelnuts have been used for at least eight millennia. Hazelnut is also called filbert and is basically a type of nut that comes from the Corylus tree. Hazelnuts have a unique sweet taste and can be consumed either raw, grounded to a paste or roasted.

Hazelnuts are extremely nutritious and contain lots of vitamins and minerals. They are widely used in confectionary. Hazelnuts are used to make praline and are often combined with chocolate to make chocolate truffles. Amongst the famous products using hazelnut are Frangelico liqueur and Nutella. Hazelnut oil obtained from hazelnuts has a very strong flavor and is used in the form of a cooking oil. Most of the world’s hazelnut comes from Turkey, the largest producer in the world.

The way to tell if your hazelnuts are ready for picking is also interesting. When you see squirrels snacking on them, they’re ready! You can store shelled hazelnuts in an airtight container like Vaya Preserve to keep it fresh for longer. This way, they will retain their flavor and stay fresh for a year. 

Culinary Use

  • About one-fourth of the hazelnut global supply is used by Ferrero SpA, the company that makes Nutella and Ferrero Rocher. 
  • Hazelnuts are widely used in confections: they are used to make chocolate truffles, hazelnut paste delicacies, and pralines. 
  • Hazelnuts are also extensively used in Georgian and Turkish cuisines. 
  • Muesli also uses hazelnuts as a common constituent. 

Health Benefits

  • Hazelnuts are extremely rich in vitamin E, monounsaturated fat, protein, and manganese.
  • They have a lot of antioxidants which protect the body against oxidative stress. 
  • Phenolic compounds are found in abundance in hazelnuts. These are very potent antioxidants which are particularly known to help reduce cholesterol levels in the blood and inflammation.
  • Hazelnuts can also potentially possess anti-cancer effects thanks to the high levels of antioxidants they contain.
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