Roasting Partially Roasted Hazelnuts

[scott123]

Costco has a pretty good price on roasted hulled hazelnuts.  The problem is that they're super pale and relatively flavorless.

I've played around with different temps/times, and it seems like the middle of each hazelnut always wants to burn.  Any ideas?  The end goal is homemade nutella.  

[Jim D.]

29 minutes ago, scott123 said:

Costco has a pretty good price on roasted hulled hazelnuts.  The problem is that they're super pale and relatively flavorless.

I've played around with different temps/times, and it seems like the middle of each hazelnut always wants to burn.  Any ideas?  The end goal is homemade nutella.  

 

I roast them in my toaster oven (a regular oven works for larger amounts) at 350F.  Once they begin to color, frequent stirring keeps them from burning...usually.  I don't mind if a few are slightly over-toasted since (as you pointed out) their flavor comes out with toasting.  On some occasions I have stopped to remove the toasted ones, then continue with the others, but that is (obviously) very time-consuming.  Some people prefer using a nonstick skillet with nearly constant stirring--clearly they are easier to watch in a skillet than in an oven.

[weinoo]

14 hours ago, scott123 said:

Costco has a pretty good price on roasted hulled hazelnuts.  The problem is that they're super pale and relatively flavorless.

I've played around with different temps/times, and it seems like the middle of each hazelnut always wants to burn.  Any ideas?  The end goal is homemade nutella.  

 

How about in a pan, over lowish heat, stirring frequently and really watching them until they just start to take on a toasty color?

[OlyveOyl]

Would you consider “toasting” them in the microwave? I use a Pyrex container, heating in one minute intervals, stirring each time. When the oil in the nuts starts to rise to the surface, it usually doesn’t take very long after that point , I taste as it progresses.

[heidih]

1 hour ago, OlyveOyl said:

Would you consider “toasting” them in the microwave? I use a Pyrex container, heating in one minute intervals, stirring each time. When the oil in the nuts starts to rise to the surface, it usually doesn’t take very long after that point , I taste as it progresses.

When  Serious Eats promoted that MW toast they admitted it yielded less toasted tasting nuts and also suggested adding bit of oil. I do as noted earlier 350F oven. The peanuts, almonds and hazels I get are not sufficiently roasted ro give me the flavor I crave. At least the peanut in shell guy that roasts on site at Farmers Market does a darker roast for people like me and sets them aside. You have to ask, but he went away during Pandemic.

[OlyveOyl]

Thanks Heidi for the additional information.  I see that Kenji says to equal the taste of oven roasted nuts to add a little oil.  I’ve been roasting/ toasting nuts in the microwave since before Kenji was born! 😂 For my baking purposes, I find  toasting  is sufficient without the oil, I would imagine for eating out of hand, the oil would enhance the taste. The article was informative,thank you again!

[weinoo]

When baking with nuts for cookies, I often find (and possibly because I read it somewhere but don't remember when or where) the nuts toast enough for our liking while the cookie is baking. If they were toasted first, they might actually end up too toasted.

 

For example, I baked this batch of chocolate chip/walnut cookies over the weekend...

 

 

and the walnuts (Trader Joe's, halves, untoasted) were just fine.

[heidih]

16 minutes ago, OlyveOyl said:

Thanks Heidi for the additional information.  I see that Kenji says to equal the taste of oven roasted nuts to add a little oil.  I’ve been roasting/ toasting nuts in the microwave since before Kenji was born! 😂 For my baking purposes, I find  toasting  is sufficient without the oil, I would imagine for eating out of hand, the oil would enhance the taste. The article was informative,thank you again!

Makes sense as I did not pay attention that the inquiry was in the Pastry & Baking forum. I was using "out of hand" as my reference point.

Edited March 16, 2023 by heidih (log)

[OlyveOyl]

I make frangipane fairly frequently and I’ve found toasting before grinding the nuts is a definite plus taste wise.  This is a ( toasted) hazelnut, pear mini cake that definitely benefits by toasting the nuts.
I agree that in most cookies, sufficient toasting is achieved while baking.

 

[Katie Meadow]

21 hours ago, weinoo said:

When baking with nuts for cookies, I often find (and possibly because I read it somewhere but don't remember when or where) the nuts toast enough for our liking while the cookie is baking. If they were toasted first, they might actually end up too toasted.

 

For example, I baked this batch of chocolate chip/walnut cookies over the weekend...

 

 

and the walnuts (Trader Joe's, halves, untoasted) were just fine.

You bake cookies?

[weinoo]

On 3/17/2023 at 10:35 AM, Katie Meadow said:

You bake cookies?

 

I do!!  But I don't do it that often, because then I'd have too many damn cookies to eat.

 

A friend just asked me to bake up a batch of oatmeal cookies for her; I'm still debating.