Hazelnuts (Filberts)
What it is
Round, brown nuts with a hard shell and a thin, bitter, papery skin. Toasting loosens the skin so it can be rubbed off.
How it's made
Harvested, dried, shelled, then usually toasted and skinned (rub warm toasted nuts in a towel to remove the bitter skins). Ground into hazelnut meal, butter, or praline/gianduja pastes.
Flavor profile
Sweet, rich, deeply nutty, with a warm, roasted aroma that intensifies dramatically with toasting — one of the most aromatic nuts. The skin is bitter, which is why it's removed for refined uses.
Culinary uses
The nut of gianduja (the hazelnut-chocolate blend behind Nutella and Piedmontese chocolates), praline, and dukkah (the Egyptian toasted nut-and-spice mix where hazelnuts often feature). Ground into flour for tortes (Austrian/Hungarian Linzer and hazelnut tortes), folded into pastries, toasted over salads and pasta, and the base of many European confections. Toasting and skinning are near-mandatory for cooking.
Regional variations
Turkey produces the large majority of the world's hazelnuts (the Black Sea coast dominates global supply). Italy's Piedmont (Nocciola del Piemonte IGP) is the prestige source for gianduja. Oregon is the main US producer. Egypt: dukkah.
Cultural & historical context
Hazelnuts are an ancient European food (eaten since the Mesolithic). Turkey's overwhelming production dominance makes the global chocolate-hazelnut industry dependent on the Black Sea harvest. Gianduja was born in 19th-century Turin when cocoa was scarce and bakers stretched it with local hazelnuts — necessity that became a beloved tradition.
Reference notes
- Tags: nut, hazelnut/filbert, Whole, Ground, Toasted, Vegetarian, Vegan
- Related ingredients: chocolate (gianduja), coriander & cumin (dukkah), sugar (praline)
- Related cuisines: Italian (Piedmontese), Egyptian, Austrian/Hungarian, Turkish
- Suggested links: Cuisinopedia → Gianduja, Dukkah (blend), Praline, Sesame Seeds