Hazelnut is my least favorite nuts, compared to walnuts, almonds, pecans, or cashews. So when I saw this on the rotation schedule, my reaction should have been: "I'm gonna skip that." But I feel like baking this weekend and I really need to make up for lost time of being absent all summer, so here I am participating (do I get brownie points for this? :)).
This is a really interesting recipe. It's really easy to put together and the bonus is you learn a cool trick from Rose on how to easily peel hazelnuts. When I saw in the recipe that the first step is to peel the hazelnuts, I thought it's only because you don't want the bits of skin in the cookie dough. But then I realized that by peeling the hazelnuts, it allows you to roast them at a good temperature without burning them. I've made roasted mixed nuts before and the hazelnuts burn faster - I have thrown away a batch because I roast them at the same 350 degree temperature as walnuts and they burn and made my kitchen smell horrible. Now I know what to do - peel the skin!
I am also glad I made this recipe as these cookies are sooo good! They don't taste very strong like hazelnuts and more like yummy butter crunchy sweet stuff. I already ate a bunch and I'm gonna have to give the rest away to my friend so I don't eat all of them today.
Step by step photos:
Boiling the hazelnuts. I boiled them for 7 minutes.
Dunk the boiled hazelnuts in cold water (I use a couple of ice cubes) then peel the skin off. The skin came off really easily. Then placed the hazelnuts on clean dish towel to dry.
Then roast the nuts in a 350 degree oven.
Make the caramel. It is darn difficult to watch 1/2 a recipe of this to boil and not burn it. Fortunately, I knit next to the stove!
Rearranged the toasted nuts so they are together and pour the itty bitty quantity of caramel over them.
It then gets to be let cooled for 20 minutes before pulverized in a food processor.
Add superfine sugar and buttah.
It kinda looks like tahini.
Add the flour, baking soda, salt mixture and pulse!
I used pyrex bowl to store it in the fridge for an hour.
Hazelnut praline balls!
Flattened into 1 1/2 inch round.
Baked, served, eaten.
I love your photos. The light is gorgeous! It's goods to have you back, and I'm glad you liked the cookies. I'm dragging my feet on these, but hopefully when i get around to them they'll turn out like yours :)
ReplyDeleteyour cookies look wonderful! Love your photos! I don't know how you cook 1/2 batch sugar to caramel.. I was already having hard time cooking the full recipe.
ReplyDeleteSuch a pretty picture of your lovely cookies on a gorgeous plate. Fun having you bake again. What are you knitting?
ReplyDeleteThanks Vicki. I am knitting a pair of socks and a shawl. I'll post photos sometime when they're done.
DeleteGlad you decided to go ahead and give these cookies a try. Yours look beautiful. I hope to have time to make them tomorrow. Fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteI particularly like that photo of the toasted hazelnuts. I was also impressed by your calmness about blanching the hazelnuts - something that would drive me crazy. Glad you liked these in the end.
ReplyDeleteYou get hazelnut brownie points!
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ReplyDeleteHi Jenn, Great post! Knitting next to the stove is funny. How do you keep you hands clean? I saw your pic on the Rose's site. Looked like fun.
ReplyDeleteHi Kim, my hands were never dirty since I used a spatula to stir.
DeleteAwwesome blog you have here
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