In our post last week on Dried Fig and Nut bars, we mentioned needing to remove the skins from the hazelnuts we were using. If left on, these skins can discolor your baked goods or make them taste bitter.
These days you can find most nuts with their skins already removed. If not, it's simple enough to do yourself. And there are actually two ways to choose from!
Method #1: Toasting
Heat your oven to 400-degrees.
Spread the nuts on a sheet pan in a single layer. Toast them in the oven until fragrant and skins are crispy, shaking the pan once or twice so they toast evenly. This takes 10-15 minutes.
Let them cool briefly and then rub a few of them at a time between two towels. The skins will flake off, leaving you with clean nuts to use in your dishes!
Method #2: Blanching
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Place the nuts in a bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Let the nuts sit for 3-5 minutes and drain.
When they're cool enough to handle, rub them between two towels to remove the skins.
We're not sure why we had so much trouble with our hazelnuts the other day. Maybe it was just a cranky batch of hazelnuts? Next time, we'll try blanching them instead of toasting them to see if that helps!
Related: Folding Egg Whites
(Image Credit: Emma Christensen for the Kitchn)
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
Any suggestions for hazelnuts still in their very hard shells? Something besides "buy the unshelled" please. :)
view randomname's profile
ugh - my most recent hazelnuts must have come from the same batch as yours. Roasting and rubbing with a tea towel didn't do a great job. I'll try blanching next time too.
view ChzPlz's profile
I have never found ANY technique that works for hazelnuts. Roasting? nothing. Blanching? even less. If anyone knows of some magic hazelnut denuding technique I' be eternally grateful!
view ann's profile